Author - Ann Drinan

1
Orchestral Getty Grants: The Community Work of Four Orchestras
2
Orchestra Spotlight: Central Ohio Symphony
3
Hartford Symphony Update
4
Portland (ME) Symphony Names Carolyn Nishon as Executive Director
5
Chicago Symphony Violinist Overcomes Vision Problem
6
Here Comes Fall! A Week in the Life of Two ROPA Orchestra Musicians
7
HSO on the Radio!
8
Andris Nelsons in the News
9
The Totenberg Strad
10
Remembering Vic Firth

Orchestral Getty Grants: The Community Work of Four Orchestras

The summer issue of Symphony magazine had an article by Michael Stugrin about the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation’s Education and Community Envestment grants, awarded to 22 orchestras in 2014-15. The grants rage from $13,000 to $27,500, and are granted to orchestras of all budget sizes. Mr. Sturgin’s article focuses on four recipients: The Central[…]

Read More

Orchestra Spotlight: Central Ohio Symphony

The Central Ohio Symphony is a small budget orchestra located in Delaware county, Ohio. The City has a population of 38,000, the county about 185,000.  Delaware, 23 miles from Columbus, is home to Ohio Wesleyan University and is very much a college town. Indeed, the Symphony was originally affiliated with the University, and became an independent[…]

Read More

Hartford Symphony Update

I’m pleased to report that I plan to attend our first rehearsal next Saturday morning, September 26th, and expect to receive a paycheck in early October. The Hartford Symphony musicians had a rally on the steps of the state capitol in Hartford at noon on September 9th. AFM representatives from New England and New York locals[…]

Read More

Portland (ME) Symphony Names Carolyn Nishon as Executive Director

It was with great pleasure that I read the news that the Portland Symphony in Maine has named Carolyn Nishon as their new Executive Director. Carolyn has been with the PSO since 2008, serving in a variety of positions, most recently as General Manager. Carolyn replaces Lisa Dixon, who had been in the position since[…]

Read More

Chicago Symphony Violinist Overcomes Vision Problem

I saw an article on a colleague’s Facebook page last night and had to share it. A story in the Chicago Maroon, the student newspaper of the University of Chicago, describes the long ordeal of violinist Alison Dalton, whose vision suddenly deteriorated while on tour with the CSO in Hong Kong. She was later described as having Bull’s Eye[…]

Read More

Here Comes Fall! A Week in the Life of Two ROPA Orchestra Musicians

Polyphonic thought it would be interesting to take a look at the lives of “typical” members of regional orchestras, where the orchestra doesn’t pay a living wage. Obviously there is no such thing as a “typical” regional orchestra musician – we all do different things to make ends meet and earn enough to pay the[…]

Read More

HSO on the Radio!

Monday morning at 9 AM, three members of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra sat before microphones and tried to explain to their community why the HSO is in such trouble. I was one of those three. And none of us were truly able to explain why we are where we are. The radio program was courtesy of[…]

Read More

Andris Nelsons in the News

This past Sunday, the Boston Globe ran a front-page article about their new Music Director, Lativian conductor Andris Nelsons, whose contract has recently been extended through 2022. Globe critic Jeremy Eichler is obviously entranced by Nelsons’ body language; the online article includes a gallery of photographs of “Nelsons in Motion.” Watching him at an afternoon[…]

Read More

The Totenberg Strad

What a wonderful story we heard on NPR’s Morning Edition today – the Stradivarius violin stolen from Roman Totenberg 35 years ago was to be reunited with the family today. Nina Totenberg, famous NPR reporter, tells the story as only she can – how the violin disappeared after one of her father’s performances, how her[…]

Read More

Remembering Vic Firth

I grew up in the Boston area; Vic Firth’s name was revered as one of the most prominent “BSO men” in the area. Anastasia Tsioulcas of NPR has put together a lovely tribute to him as both a percussionist and an entrepreneur. Click here to read the remembrance at NPR’s Deceptive Cadence, complete with photos and[…]

Read More