Analysis, Withdrawn
From Minneapolis, Minnesota, the flash – apparently official – Michael Henson’s sanity died at 5pm Central Standard Time yesterday. *takes off glasses in a dignified Cronkite-ian manner* Yeah, the MOA...
View ArticleYoung Musicians and Munchkins
Yesterday was quite the day: the Young Musicians of Minnesota made metro-wide news. Hullo! Yeah, unbeknownst to the locked out Minnesota Orchestra musicians, the Young Musicians of Minnesota brought...
View ArticleThe MOA And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Fundraising Email
We’re nearing mid-August, and you know what that means: The Minnesota Orchestral Association’s fiscal year is close to ending! According to CEO Michael Henson, the MOA spent roughly $13.7 million this...
View ArticleHow SaveOurSymphonyMN.org Was Named
[Editor’s Note, 24 May 2014: The domain names expired today and the Minnesota Orchestral Association no longer owns them. So as a memento of days gone by, a reader snapped one up for me....
View ArticleMichael Henson’s Massive Bonuses
Minnesota Orchestra CEO Michael Henson saw two massive bonuses as he was planning for his musicians’ major work stoppage, totaling $202,500. This information comes courtesy of the 990 that covers the...
View ArticleThanksgiving Snark
Question: Can I mock the Minnesota Orchestral Association while still leaving its CEO, board chair, and immediate past chair in the Bin of Irrelevancy? Answer: This is my blog, I’m the queen of my...
View ArticleAdvertising Beethoven’s Crotch
Whenever I need a break from music, I log on to Tumblr, scroll down, and zone out. Then the other day in the midst of mindless scrolling I saw this. Of course I immediately wondered if this was the...
View ArticleLockout Stuff
Hey, friends! Say, did you hear that the 2014-2015 Minnesota Orchestra season has just been announced? The lockout era of 2012-2014 is now over, and it’s time to move on. In the recent words of Osmo...
View ArticleDoug Kelley: Still Problematic
(Warning for language.) *** I’m so excited about the new season and our bright future. And I seriously cannot wait to work with people at the MOA who I was unable to work with during the lockout. But....
View ArticleNaked Nymphs and the Atlanta Symphony
A provocatively titled blog post made the rounds the other day: “Maybe Atlanta Symphony Should Lock Out Its Marketing Department Instead.” It included a link to the Atlanta Symphony brochure for the...
View ArticleDeath and the Maiden
I have a lot of music news to write about that I just haven’t, and I kinda want to explain why. Saturday June 20th was my grandfather and mother’s dual memorial service. I admit, I wasn’t thrilled...
View ArticleDeath and the Maiden
I have a lot of music news to write about that I just haven’t, and I kinda want to explain why. Saturday June 20th was my grandfather and mother’s dual memorial service. I admit, I wasn’t thrilled...
View ArticleWhat Ever Happened to Michael Henson?
“What ever happened to Michael Henson?” I’ve been asked this question countless times. I’ve been asked this question loudly, quietly, surreptitiously, obviously, outside of concert halls, inside of...
View ArticleDeath and the Maiden
I have a lot of music news to write about that I just haven’t, and I kinda want to explain why. Saturday June 20th was my grandfather and mother’s dual memorial service. I admit, I wasn’t thrilled...
View ArticleThe End of Emily Visits Violaland
Well, my visit to Violaland has officially come to an end. Because… I’m moving there. Or at the least, buying a second house there and commuting back and forth between Violaland and Violinland. Or...
View ArticleMulling Over Mahler
Most of my practice time lately has been spent prepping the forty-odd-page viola part to Mahler 6. I’ve listened to the piece once a day since I learned I’d be playing it, and I’m now wrestling with a...
View ArticleIs Minnesota Orchestra management lying to us?: Part II: Michael Henson Edition
When I read the latest Star Tribune article on the Minnesota Orchestra crisis, one quote in particular struck me as being so patently absurd, and so directly opposed to everything that had come before...
View ArticleAmusing search queries that people have used to find this blog
I’ll have some stuff to say later tonight or tomorrow morning, but I just wanted to let y’all know that business is booming here at SOTL with tons of Minnesota Orchestra patrons wanting to know what...
View ArticleMinnesota Orchestra Lockout Concert Announcement
The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra are now selling tickets for their lockout concert at the Minneapolis Convention Center on October 18 at 7:30pm. The program will consist of the Dvorak cello...
View ArticleLame
I’m just going to leave this here. It speaks for itself. From the Star Tribune… Thursday’s cancellations will have consequences beyond the orchestra. The Minneapolis Convention Center had projected...
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