Fred Onovwerosuoke
Fred Onovwerosuoke writes about the Chicago Sinfonietta:
While I'd also empathize with some of the concerns
being posted about Sinfonietta's season opener, I personally would
prefer to applaud Maestro/Maestra Mei-Ann Chen for trying new creative
programming strategies to reach new audiences. For this she's chosen
from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake Suite" and Price's e-minor symphony. I
think we should wish her and the Chicago Sinfonietta good success with
this experiment.
Certainly would have been easier to commission a new
interdisciplinary work where the artistries of participating groups may
shine through. For sure, in today's economic hardtimes the cost of such
a venture might have been prohibitive for Chicago Sinfonietta or any
other similar mid-sized orchestra.
I'd like to be hopeful that FootworKingz and Kuumba
Lynx, though diametrically opposite to the Sinfonietta in their modes of
artistic expression, will through this collaboration offer a unique
opportunity to their audiences. Absent this collaboration I believe not
that their followers would be attentive to Price's glorious e-minor
symphony.
Chicago Sinfonietta has established itself well in a
very difficult industry, and, like most orchestras of the day, will
continue to reinvent itself in a brutally competitive audience market
place. Here in St. Louis, it's open secret that SLSO's Maestro David
Robertson and President/CEO Fred Bronstein remain feisty (to put it
mildly) over what some purists have shunned as "colorful programming."
Folks, it's a tough market out there finding the right balance to please
aging classical music patrons and attracting younger generation of new
audiences.
It's certainly okay to be purist about great
classical music, but (speaking for myself, of course!), I'd prefer to be
rather curious not dismissive of new programming ideas. I know my
comments may not be popular, but I do believe we can afford to be a
little open-minded with Maestro Chen's programming experiment. So,
here's to wishing the Chicago Sinfonietta a truly great season!
In peace,
FredO
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