In search of musicians, composers, conductors, presenters, managers, and agents looking for
new ideas and strategies for weathering the current storm of performing arts chaos, uncertainty, and the anxiety onslaught that occurred in a flick of a day in January.
And the unknown — The Kennedy Center? No one saw that coming. And now it’s quite possible that the Kennedy Center will soon be renamed The Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts. (You heard it here first.)
While on the outside everything appears bright and rosy. “Everything’s fine…” Peter’s new recording is available now. Fiona just received a major commission for a new symphony, and Darah will make her conducting debut with the XX Orchestra.
But on the inside, we are terrified, worried, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.
When my advice is solicited, and even when it’s not, I first say, “Please don’t be underwhelmed by the simplicity of what I’m about to say.”
Sometimes I get the response, “No way DS, that’s too simple to be true.”
I get it.
Regardless, here goes.
Authenticity → finding like-minded people → conversations → listening → new ideas and strategies → the work, aka the art → new audiences → engagements, commissions, and new collaborators.
And then the money follows — it simply shows up, seemingly out of nowhere.
Too good to be true? Too simple to be true? Too idealistic? Naive? I don’t think so.
I’m in search of musicians, composers, conductors, presenters, managers, and agents looking for new ideas and strategies to weather the current storm of performing arts chaos, uncertainty, and anxiety — and to come out ahead.
