Are you tone deaf?

Through the years I have met several people who say they are tone deaf. I have always been skeptical of such comments. Usually what the person means is that they can't sing. There is a difference between not being able to distinguish between the relative highness or lowness of a musical pitch (tone deafness) and being unable to produce the pitch via the vocal chords. I HAVE met several people who cannot sing. (The worst thing is when they THINK they can sing, but they cannot.) Anyway, thanks to my friend, Mark Van Patten, at the Bowling Green Daily News, I am now aware of a tool that determines if one is, in fact, tone deaf.

Click on http://jakemandell.com/tonedeaf/. At the site you will find a test in which you, the listener, will be asked to determine if two musical phrases (played one after the other) are the same or different. I found the test to be pretty difficult. Sometimes my mind wanted to supply differences that were not there. Before I began, I was hesitant to even take the test. What if I, the maestro, scored at the bottom level? I finally decided that if I did fail, I had the option of pretending that it never occurred. In that case, I would definitely NOT bring it to the attention of anyone else. That was an easy decision. However, what if I didn't do that bad, but didn't score at the top? I decided to put my ego aside (not an easy thing for a conductor) and take the test.

I am happy to report that I did score at the top level....barely. I got a 91.7%. Go take the test and tell me how you did. And if you did better than me, please keep it to yourself.

Economic Impact of the Arts

I'm tired. I'm physically tired, true, but I'm most tired of hearing people say that the BGCO provides entertainment. Of course that's a big part of what we do, but we do much more than that. Rather than get into all the ways our orchestra contributes to the community, I want to focus on one: the BGCO's economic impact on Bowling Green.

Americans for the Arts conducted a national survey on the economic impact of the arts on 156 communities. (Visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EconomicImpact for more information.) They took the averages of the data they collected from the study and created an economic impact calculator where an organization can enter their figures and find out the impact the organization has on its community. I entered the information for the BGCO and learned the following:

Last season our organization supported the equivalent of 13.9 jobs in our community. Next season we are on track to support 17.1 jobs.

The City of Bowling Green received $14,608 (license fees, taxes, etc.) as a result of the BGCO. Next year will be about $18,065.

Audiences spent about $706,500 as a result of our events last year.

The BGCO’s total economic impact last year was $1,201,336. Next year will be closer to $1,318,463.

Not bad for a group that entertains.

Trip to Korea

Sorry that it has been so long since my last post. I just got back from a guest conducting trip to Busan, Korea. What a great experience. The orchestra was great and the people were even greater.

The trip made me once again realize what a universal language music really is and how people are pretty much the same the world over. The orchestra had never heard the music of English composer John Rutter or American composer Aaron Copland. They immediately liked both. In fact, the orchestra was a little skeptical of playing this "new" music at the first rehearsal. By the end of the week the Rutter was their favorite piece on the program. Copland's Hoedown was the encore. The audience loved it!

The lessons I learned on the trip were these: 1) Good music appeals to people of all nations; 2) Music is a common language that has the power to bring people together. The United Nations would be well served to remember this.

Notable Art, Notable Artists

As I write this blog posting, the orchestra is preparing for its Notable Art event this weekend. On Saturday, April 28, 2007, The Encore (the volunteer arm of the orchestra) will present an auction of painted instruments to benefit the orchestra. Old, unplayable, violins, a bass drum, and cymbals, have been transformed into works of art by local, regional, and international artists. No, they haven't painted pictures of violins on a canvas. The artists are actually painting on the instruments themselves. I must say--they are all quite amazing. But that's not why I am writing this.

What is really amazing about the event is that fifteen artists donated their time and talents to benefit another arts organization. We all know about "starving artists." It would be one thing to create a work of art free of charge for a public building, a school, or some other more public cause. However, to labor on an instrument so that another arts group would benefit is...Did I say it? Amazing!

Thank you to all of those artists, starving and otherwise, who helped us put this event together.

Community Value?

I spent yesterday morning (5:30 a.m. until early afternoon) traveling to and from Frankfort to hear the orchestra's grant application read. We had applied for funding from the Kentucky Arts Council for general operating support. Arts organizations from across the commonwealth had gathered at a motel to hear a panel of out-of-state guests comment on their applications. The four panelists had the opportunity to comment on each application publicly. After that, they privately scored each organization. The scores determines how much, if anything, each arts group would receive from the state.

Anyone involved in grant writing will tell you that there are certain "buzz words" that grant readers look for. Unfortunately, they seem to change from year to year and with different panels. The buzz words for yesterday morning were "community value." With each application, the panelists often commented on whether the arts organization being discussed knew (and had articulated in their application) what value they added to their community. It got me to thinking. What value does the BGCO contribute to south central Kentucky?

One way to look at value is this: If the BGCO didn't exist, would it be missed? Here are ten ways I believe the BGCO adds value to south central Kentucky.

If the BGCO closed its doors tomorrow:

1) There would be no youth orchestras--70-80 kids would have no where to learn how to play orchestral music.
2) There would be no string academy--130 kids/adults would have to seek string instruction elsewhere (it would have to be out of town).
3) There would be no retro concerts--no Beatlemadness, Motownmadness, '70s Show, etc. etc.
4) There would be no free, July 4th concert and fireworks show at WKU.
5) There would be no concerts at Living Hope--no more Larnelle Harris singing Christmas songs with the orchestra; no more Tim King singing "MacArthur Park"; no more Sylvia Kersenbaum playing "Rhapsody in Blue".
6) There would be no children's cushion concerts at the Train Depot.
7) There would be no Perry Penguin's club for kids.
8) There would be no Bowling Green Chamber Singers to sing songs from Rodgers & Hammerstein and "Porgy and Bess".
9) There would be no Bowling Green Chamber Players to provide small ensembles for parties, weddings, receptions, etc.
10) There would be no professional chamber orchestra right here in Bowling Green.

I have listed ten ways the BGCO contributes value to our community. How does the BGCO make your life better? Please share your thoughts.

BGCO applies for city funding

Many of you will remember that last year the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra applied for and was denied funding from the City of Bowling Green. Those voting for funding were Mayor Elaine Walker and Delane Simpson. Those voting against funding were Brian Strow, Brian "Slim" Nash and Mark Alcott.

Last week we once again applied for funding. Mayor Walker and Commissioners Strow and Nash remain on the commission. New members include Commissioners Bruce Wilkerson and Joe Denning. I have personally spoken to Mayor Walker and Commissioner Wilkerson, who have both indicated that they will support our request. Members of our board have spoken to Commissioner Denning, who also supports the orchestra. Consequently, it appears that we have the three votes needed to obtain funding. However, we cannot take anything for granted. Please contact the entire city commission and ask them to support the BGCO.

Why should the city support the chamber orchestra? For one thing, of the four largest cities in Kentucky, Bowling Green is the only city that does not fund its orchestra. Owensboro, for example, receives $50,000 from the city (according to the last information I had on the subject).

Another reason for city funding is the fact that the BGCO provides a free, Fourth of July concert at Western Kentucky University's campus. The 70-minute concert also includes a free fireworks display. Last season we had over 15,000 people in the audience! This is our gift to the community, but it is the most expensive concert we produce. Doesn't it make sense that the city should support an arts event that is accessible to ALL of its citizens?

Although there are several other reasons for the city to support us, the primary reason is the "quality of life" issue. Isn't all government funding a matter of quality of life? After all, why do we want new roads? More police protection? How about parks? Golf courses? Skate parks?
In our own special way, we at the BGCO believe that we make Bowling Green a better place to live.

Shouldn't the orchestra that proudly bears the city's name receive its support?

Jeff Reed

New Subscription Series

I am quite excited about a new subscription series that we have begun for the first time this season. For the past five years, we have presented individual concerts, featuring a rock band, singers and the orchestra. The "madness" concerts have grown to be quite popular, sometimes selling as many as 2,000 tickets per show.

Last season we surveyed our audiences, asking if they would consider purchasing a subscription to the series. They overwhelming said that they would. So, we have developed a new Retro Series, featuring three concerts. We named it the Retro Series because our goal in each of the concerts is to take the listeners down memory lane. We have featured the music of the Beatles, Motown and the '70s. In addition to Motown, next season we are adding a One-Hit Wonders show and Countrymadness. In the One-Hit Wonders show we will explore groups that had one hit and then disappeared from the musical scene. Lest you think the concert will be a snoozer, visit www.onehitwondercentral.com and peruse their list of hits. The country show will feature what is know as classic country, focusing on songs that used orchestra on the recordings. We will do the music of Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell, Patsy Cline, and so many others.

The first year for the subscriptions is a critical one. Since this is the first season, all seats are open. Season ticket holders will get first chance at the best seats in the house. They will also be able to renew from year to year.

If you are interested in tickets, call the orchestra office at (270) 846-BGCO (2426).