Author - Ramon Ricker

1
On The Future of America’s Orchestras
2
Why Music Majors Make Some of the Best Entrepreneurs
3
Baumol’s Cost Disease Is Killing Me!
4
We’re Going to Brag (But Just a Little)
5
Art and Music Are Professions Worth Fighting for
6
Tinnitus: When There’s Humming in Your Head and It Won’t Go Away
7
Moving Forward
8
Separate But Equal
9
Why Orchestra Management is Hard
10
Michael Kaiser’s Arts in Crisis Symposium

On The Future of America’s Orchestras

As I write this introduction to my Editor’s Choice for this month, at top of mind for me is the former Director of the Eastman School of Music, Robert Freeman. In 1972 he was named director of Eastman, a position he held for 24 years. He returned to Eastman this week to be formally honored[…]

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Why Music Majors Make Some of the Best Entrepreneurs

As musicians we often believe that we do one thing, and only one thing, really well. The reality is that musical training provides a wide range of transferable skills that are unmatched by any other discipline. Critical thinking, listening, problem solving, cognitive and physical sharpness, poise, discipline, teamwork and leadership are all present in any[…]

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Baumol’s Cost Disease Is Killing Me!

My Editor’s Choice post this time around is a blog/article that was just published a few days ago. It centers around Baumol’s curse. If you aren’t familiar with that term you will be after you read this article by Duncan Webb. And if you’re really into it you can find it discussed in eight different[…]

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We’re Going to Brag (But Just a Little)

So—most of you reading this know that Polyphonic.org is an initiative of the Institute for Music Leadership at the Eastman School of Music, and some of you also know that our site is funded by Paul R. Judy, a philanthropist and former CEO of A. G. Becker, an investment banking firm. But, only a small[…]

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Art and Music Are Professions Worth Fighting for

Nearly ten months ago now, recording artist, producer, and label owner Blake Morgan, posted “My New Year’s resolution is to stand up and speak out more,”  in the Huffington Post, (12/18/13). Several points he made in the article really resonated with me, especially this one, “And yet I’ve never heard of anyone who’s been successful[…]

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Tinnitus: When There’s Humming in Your Head and It Won’t Go Away

Here’s an interesting article from the International Musician, the monthly official journal of the American Federation of Musicians, (A.K.A. the union). We’re in a profession that subjects us to loud noises and one of the consequences is the possibility of developing Tinnitus. I happen to have it. For me there is a hissing sound, (I[…]

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Moving Forward

As musicians it is quite natural for us to occasionally question our career decisions, but what if we are thrown a curve ball and something unexpected gets in the way of our well-ordered plans?  This is, in fact, what the author of this Editor’s Choice article faced at an early point in her career. How[…]

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Separate But Equal

At Polyphonic we always look forward to receiving one of Peter Sachon’s articles. This one is from 18 months ago and in it Peter gives us good “food for thought” around orchestral programming. It’s worth revisiting again as an Editor’s Choice.  Click here to read Peter Sachon’s “Separate but Equal.”  

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Why Orchestra Management is Hard

In 2010 Robert Levine posted this blog on Polyphonic–“Why Orchestra Management is Hard.” Robert was referring to a blog of Joseph Horowitz and he took issue with some of his points. But that isn’t why I’m making this blog an Editor’s Choice. I love the xtranormal video link that Robert included in the last sentence.[…]

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Michael Kaiser’s Arts in Crisis Symposium

Michael Kaiser has been called “the turnaround king” because of his success with several arts organizations, including the Kansas City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theater, and London’s Royal Opera House. Indeed, his 2008 book is titled The Art of the Turnaround: Creating and Maintaining Healthy Arts Organizations. In this article from[…]

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