Pod Wave
Classical music podcasts are surging, reaching new audiences along the way. By Hannah Edgar.
Hidden Voices
Black composers have long been underrepresented in classical music. Now their music is increasingly performed by orchestras. Will it last? By Rosalyn Story.
Board Room: Philanthropy Update
What to look out for as sweeping changes in tax policy, nonprofit governance, and philanthropy affect orchestras. By Heidi Waleson.
The Score: Winter 2020
News and updates from orchestras everywhere. In this issue: the Detroit Symphony Orchestra names a new music director; the League moves into its new Manhattan home; the Kennedy Center’s REACH performing-arts campus opens; a sensory-friendly “Gentle Nutcracker” in Colorado.
Full Issue – Symphony: Winter 2020, Unheard Voices
Read the whole issue online via Issuu
How New Media Got New Audiences at Seattle Opera, With Wallace Support
Can technology enhance the classical music experience for today’s connected audiences? Seattle Opera, which produces five operas each year for an audience of more than 100,000, began using digital and social media to engage audiences several years back, with a boost from a $750,000 Wallace Foundation Excellence Award, which provided funds for four years of experimentation between 2009 and 2012.
The Messiah Project
Founded by MacArthur Fellow and violinist Vijay Gupta, Street Symphony annually performs Handel’s Messiah in collaboration with Los Angeles’ Skid Row community. This project is an example of an authentic partnership with some of the least advantaged members of society, with participation and musical joy at its core.
League Leading: January 2020
Increasing diversity in American orchestras: a NAAS update; 2019 League policy victories set the stage for 2020 advocacy; Meet twelve emerging orchestra leaders; Abuzz: “We were interested in The Catalyst Fund…”; We moved to serve members better; League resources at your fingertips
Digital Media Digest: January 2020
The NSO plans a new record label; Classical streaming service IDAGIO launches free tier; Is classical music ahead of the streaming curve?; DSO reveals state-of-the-art tech and camera upgrades for “Live from Orchestra Hall” webcast series; Residuals can make up 75% of a musician’s movie score paycheque—but not on streaming; YouTube says it can delete your account if you’re not ‘commercially viable’; YouTube update makes it easier to deal with copyright claims; Facebook is actively licensing music videos for its YouTube rival, report claims; Billboard changes its mind: YouTube will now factor into the Billboard 200; Spotify’s ‘pay-for-play’ advertising program has a price tag: $0.55 per click; The end of owning music: how CDs and downloads died; Mechanical Licensing Collective hands a juicy contract to HFA—critics call the deal crooked; Congress introduces the ‘AM-FM Act’ to overhaul terrestrial copyright laws
UBIT Rules and New Requirements
Thanks to advocacy by the League and our member orchestras, in partnership with the broader nonprofit sector, the FY20 spending and tax package signed into law on December 20, 2019 retroactively repealed the UBIT on parking and commuting benefits. This means that orchestras that have paid the tax are eligible for a refund.