Tag Archive for 'beadle'

Carnival of Venice

Published
by
dtclarinet
on July 23, 2008
in Musician's Life, Performances and The Music
. 0 Comments

This evening at Mozart’s Café I will be performing a set of variations on the popular folk theme, Carnival of Venice, arranged by Paul Jeanjean, an early 20 century French clarinetist known for his difficult but beautiful études for clarinet and also for flute. Several other members of the Symphony will join me in a wonderful variety of great chamber music.

I am happy to say, the event is officially sold out. It is one of many fundraisers organized by grassroots supporters and the musicians themselves to support the beleaguered members of the Columbus Symphony, who were unfairly locked out of work June 1st, work legally contracted to them by CSO management, lead by Tony Beadle and Buzz Trafford. It continues to strike me as odd that the very people who should be leading the struggle to save the symphony are, to all public and private appearances, doing the opposite, destroying the soul of a great orchestra in Columbus.

The Venice song is probably familiar to most people, and has been made particularly famous more by the variations written on it than any original sources. I searched for some history of the melody and found only references to the numerous variations for any number of instruments, from flute to tuba. Wikipedia wasn’t much help, except to note that the song is associated with the words, “My hat, it has three corners”, not very Italian sounding. If anyone has further knowledge of the history of this tune, let me know. (someone forwarded more Wiki info on the piece-More than 150 years ago, French cornetist and teacher Jean Baptiste Arban created the method book, which became the standard manual for brass players all over the world. His playing of and compositions for the cornet helped to establish it as a serious classical instrument. He wrote this set of variations in the early 1860s, undoubtedly inspired by Niccolo Paganini’s 20 variations for violin on the same air, which has been attributed both to Paganini and to German opera composer Reinhard Keiser.)

Here is a fine recording of the Jeanjean variations I will play, performed by Duncan Prescott.

Carnival of Venice - Duncan Prescott (Clarinet)

Enjoy!

Today’s Dispatch Article

Published
by
dtclarinet
on July 15, 2008
in Behind the Scenes, Columbus Cultural Politics, columbus symphony orchestra, symphony board and symphony management
. 6 Comments

Korine Fujiwara, a violinist with the orchestra, responded appropriately to the hypocritical attack on Junichi Hirokami by Tony Beadle in today’s Dispatch. While it is common for a Music Director to “jet set” from city to city to make a living, and thereby hardly ever residing in any particular city in which he directs, Tony Beadle’s has lived in an Extended Stay hotel since he began working for the Columbus Symphony, which is unheard of for an Executive Director.

It should also be known that Junichi Hirokami, during any visit to Columbus, made himself completely available for meetings with prospective donors. Yet Tony Beadle failed to schedule Maestro Hirokami to lobby for the orchestra.

Hello all,

Regarding the following quote from today’s Dispatch 7/15/2008: (emphasis mine) “Hirokami should have remained neutral, said Tony Beadle, executive director of the symphony — adding that Hirokami has also failed to perform key duties of a music director for a major orchestra, partly because he hasn’t put down roots in central Ohio. “A good deal of the work is not done on the podium,” Beadle said. “A music director is the face of the orchestra and ambassador of good will to the community and potential donors.”

I still haven’t had the opportunity to meet Mr. Beadle’s family. Have he and his family moved from Boston to Columbus yet? Where does he currently reside? In what state? Do they still live in the Boston area?

The fact that Hirokami doesn’t live in Columbus has been widely touted in the press, but if it is indeed true that after more than two years, Tony Beadle, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the Columbus Symphony, HAS STILL NOT “PUT DOWN ROOTS IN CENTRAL OHIO” either, shouldn’t this also be newsworthy? Isn’t it also a HUGE problem for fundraising and the overall general health of an organization IF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DOESN’T HAVE A PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN CENTRAL OHIO?

We all have had the pleasure of meeting Junichi Hirokami’s family on many occasions, and it is my understanding that they even visited potential schools for their daughter on at least one occasion.

Korine Fujiwara

I would like to add that the board hired Junichi two years ago. Yet management has failed to effectively market him and utilize his time wisely when he visits Columbus. Who is to say he wouldn’t move here if given appropriate support from a functioning board.

How to move forward

Published
by
dtclarinet
on May 30, 2008
in Behind the Scenes, Columbus Cultural Politics, Our Supporters, columbus symphony orchestra, symphony board and symphony management
. 1 Comment

A message from Pam Conley, loud and clear.

The only way to resurrect our wonderful Symphony is to eliminate the “Buzz” and the “Beadle”.

We need NEW leadership. I have no doubt that the current administration is not up to the challenge of raising the money our musicians deserve. They just can’t do it with their antiquated marketing techniques, and I use the word loosely.

If a few people from Symphony Strong can make $25,000 in several weeks, a competent administrator and board should easily be able to not only meet the basic needs, but to electrify the community to launch the CSO into the 21st century with innovative ideas and a lot of hard work. We need a complete restructuring of the “way” the CSO does business.

No longer can we wait with cup in hand for the corporations to give us a hand out. We need to actively get them on our side so they WANT to contribute.

Many times the musicians have gone to Tony or Susan and offered to go to Battelle or Nationwide or many others to “play” (for free) for corporate functions or special dinners, only to be turned down flat. We need a RELATIONSHIP with the corporations. And the same is true of the public.

Since our musicians have participated in the “Meet the Musicians” Cafe Concerts, popularity has soared! By making the musicians accessible, the audience feels like they are a part of the Symphony family. They are proud to be a part of this wonderful organization and they will show it by donating.

This is not rocket science.

Letter from Gisela Josenhans

Published
by
dtclarinet
on May 17, 2008
in Columbus Cultural Politics, Our Supporters and columbus symphony orchestra
. 0 Comments

Gisela is an active supporter of the Symphony and the arts in Columbus and a member of the Women’s Association of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The source of the death knell for the beloved Columbus Symphony Orchestra has revealed itself in the May 16 Columbus Dispatch article about the multitude of community support efforts, the orchestra and the incredible conductor. Mr. Beadle’s negative attitude and commentary at the end of the article says it all. Instead, he should have sung the praises of such efforts and embraced the widespread, creative energies of such efforts to maintain the symphony.

He apparently kept the true picture of the orchestra’s financial condition to himself and the board, instead of facing the financial needs and undertaking the broad and creative development efforts that are required to maintain a first rate orchestra.

Several years ago, the musicians set such a wonderful example by giving up thousands of dollars from their salaries to allow the orchestra to continue. With the proper development and fund raising efforts, the community would have followed their example.

The orchestra contributes in innumerable ways to all our lives. It is a shame that mismanagement, or perhaps neglect, or perhaps a less than supportive attitude of the management and some trustees has resulted in the risk of loss of this resource.

Management needs to find a way to reinstate the Picnic with the Pops series as a way of preserving the orchestra and continuing to afford the public the tremendous joy of musical summer weekends.

The orchestra needs new management with community leaders who love the orchestra, who properly manage its finances and financing, and who will have an attitude that will foster creative and imaginative plans that will enable central Ohio to continue to enjoy the artistic excellence of the orchestra’s exceptionally talented musicians and maestro.

Very truly yours,

Gisela E. Josenhans

Great fun with dinosaur metaphor

Published
by
dtclarinet
on May 17, 2008
in Off the Record and columbus symphony orchestra
. 1 Comment

Bruce Hembd, a French Hornist from Phoenix, had a “hay” day with Tony Beadle’s ridiculous remark comparing the symphony to a dinosaur which needed to be fed 500 bales of hay a day.

Check out his hilarious photo-shop assembled poster and a review of the comment here. It’s worth clicking on the photo to enlarge it and see the detail.