Conductor Simon Capet, who is hosting a classical music jam at a Toronto pub next weekend (more on that soon), this morning posted about his unfortunate adventures in trying to make a video series about unknown, interesting orchestras around the world.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
Two years ago, Capet started off with a great premise:
In the spring of 2011 I came up with an idea for a TV series, Conducted Tours. In each episode I would travel to an unexpected destination around the world to work with a symphony orchestra. What do I mean by unexpected? Well, for example, did you know that there are symphony orchestras in places as far afield as Ecuador, Ghana, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Iraq and Mongolia? Do you know about the Orchestra of Light and Hope in Cairo, in which all the musicians are blind women or the chamber orchestra in Calcutta that is made up of men who grew up in a single orphanage? Well until 2011 nor did I, but once I learned about all these orchestras I thought what a wonderful series it would make to go and visit them, collaborate with them and have members of the orchestras show me their cities, their lives, their hopes and aspirations.
TV people here in Canada and elsewhere turned him down because they thought the stories were not broad enough. One broadcaster offered money — $5,000 per episode. Subtract airfare, basic accommodations and food, and it’s clear how little this is. At the time Capet thought his costs would be $150,000 per episode.
Capet then thought he’d try to make the series in cheaper webisodes, but found the financing challenges were even greater.
You can read all the details on Capet’s blog, here.
I mention this because Capet’s adventures highlight two issues that hover like little black clouds over many lives and livelihoods, and will likely not be blown away during 2013.
The first is a thoroughly entrenched perception that classical music and musicians don’t have a broader human story to tell.
The second is the issue of getting paid for music, for writing — for any sort of content that can edify, entertain or provoke.
Many of us go on periodic ruminations and rants about how and why this has happened, and how and why it should not be so. But the challenges remain, like a forbidding, immovable mountain range.
I guess the secret is to Keep Calm, Stay Creative, and Carry On.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
