Behind the Scenes: The Making of a Season
March is here. We’ve finished two of our most action-packed months of the season, January and February. We’ve done several very challenging classical series concerts, as well as some unique and entertaining pops shows. Something else big happened in February, too: the Oregon Symphony’s 2008-09 season was announced. No doubt you’ve already picked out your favorite concerts and are ordering your season tickets. But have you ever wondered how the programs for each season are put together?
Most orchestras use a system where the music director works in close consultation with a management staffer who is often called the “artistic administrator” (at the Oregon Symphony, Charles Calmer fills that role). The music director and other staff conductors will usually give a list of pieces they interested in performing over the next few seasons, along with the names of guest artists they’re interested in working with, either because they’ve worked with them elsewhere or because they have excellent reputations. The days of the music director handing over a completed season of programs and guest artists and saying “make it so” are long gone; these days the music director gets in line just like everyone else.
The artistic administrator takes these repertoire and artist proposals and tries to craft a season that will be artistically beneficial to the orchestra while also filling seats and advancing whatever other objectives need to be met (such as being affordable to produce). He also works out the rehearsal schedule for the entire season, making sure that musicians get the appropriate number of days off and double rehearsal days, and negotiates and works out schedule conflicts with guest conductors and soloists.
Calmer notes: “I try very hard to look at the repertory as a whole so that the orchestra doesn’t again go 15 years without playing Beethoven’s Second Symphony, and to help to develop the orchestra artistically. As you know, the back-to-back concerts this season that included Bartok’s “Miraculous Mandarin” and MacMillan’s “The Confession of Isobel Gowdie” would not have been possible a few years ago. But working with the conductors, we can help the orchestra to accomplish technical feats with increasing ease — and bring programs to our audience that enrich their lives with music they’ve never before experienced.”
Because of the nature of the classical-music booking system, guest artists must be booked a year or more in advance, so the entire process of planning a season may actually begin two or three years in advance. It’s hard to catch passing fads when you’re looking that far ahead; I think of it being akin to doing a long-range weather forecast or economic outlook. Seeing the programs for next year already has me anticipating even more great concerts next season. Join us, won’t you?
Charles Noble
Assistant Principal Viola
