INTRODUCTION

Latin America has been a permanent musical reference for the whole world. From the early days, for the richness of its multiethnic folklore and, more recently, for its impressive symphonic development that has spread throughout the continent. Nevertheless, although a lot has been said about the LATIN AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA as an extraordinary phenomenon within the demanding and competitive world of symphonic music, our orchestras are overshadowed by their older sisters from Europe and the United States.

The detractors of the Latin American symphonic model say that the classical orchestra is a transcultural imposition from Central Europe, one that has no proper place in our society, that lacks genuine and massive social-cultural roots in our countries.

We could, in fact, continue with this line of thought, focusing our attention on the countries of Mediterranean Europe, southern Italy, southern France and, especially, Spain and Portugal, which have not achieved the development of a solid and homogeneous symphonic activity, at least not when compared to the levels achieved by their northern neighbors: Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Great Britain.

The answer may lie in the lack of local composers; das Lande ohme Musik, “the Land without Music,” as the Germans disparagingly called Britain because it lacked great composers of the stature of Bach, Beethoven or Brahms.

In actual fact, among the less developed artistic disciplines in our continent, musical creation has had an outstanding performance. Our historians have insistently tried to highlight the local creative talent but, unfortunately, over the past 500 years Lauro, Ginastera, Revueltas and Villalobos are among the few composers who have undeniably enriched universal culture.

This has not been, however, the case with the rest of the fine arts, where we have well-known authors such as Jorge Amado, Andrés Bello, Borges, Bandeira, Botero, Castaneda, Cortázar, Rubén Darío, Fuentes, García Márquez, Michelena, Neruda, Reverón, Rivera, Rulfo, Sábato, Soto, Zorilla, just to name a few. A logical explanation of this notorious imbalance could be the thesis that music is always first to manifest itself, but the last one to flower and develop into a solid art form.

Prompted by a series of reflections during my career as an orchestra conductor over the past 30 years, I have always tried to communicate with my colleagues, orchestra members with whom I have worked, trying to figure out the mechanisms that will allow us to make orchestra activity a more perfect and evolved art form.

Paradoxically, while there is no denying the great gap, at the artistic level, between the European and Latin American orchestras, we find that the latter are much more involved, showing more interest and dedication to their work. It is thanks to my colleagues’ enthusiasm that I have decided to shape my ideas in order to share with all of them the possibility of making the Latin American symphonic dream come true.

In December 1998, the University of Concepción, Chile, asked for my opinion regarding the preparation of a “Support and Development Project” for the Concepción Symphony Orchestra

looking forward to the third millennium.

Before that, in August of the same year, I had been invited to conduct two programs with the Symphony Orchestra in Concepción. At that time, I was able to share the malaise some of its members felt regarding the present and future state of the institution, which was not much different from that found in other similar organizations, especially those on our continent.

Inspired by our conversation, I accepted the invitation of the University of Concepción in the hope of being useful in their process of adapting to the new times. THE CHALLENGE OF EXCELLENCE is a generic adaptation of this document, enriched by my earlier experiences with Latin American orchestras in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela.

Although this work seeks to analyze the situation of the Latin American orchestras and, also, find practical solutions as “a survival manual for the third millennium,” I am convinced that the symphony orchestra, as such, without any geographical references, will have to reinvent itself if it hopes to survive the first century of this millennium. In this regard our orchestras have everything they need to do so. Our main ally will be the most important component of our “younger brother complex”: the lack of a great musical tradition. This lack means that we will be carrying less baggage when we start our journey from which there is no return towards new territories unexplored by Western thought.

If the Brazilian writer Otto Maria Carpeaux once said that the West would have never existed without Beethoven, we could go even further and say that Beethoven would have never existed without the symphony orchestra.

According to the cognoscenti, Latin America will play a leading role in the spiritual conscience of the Third Millennium, our creators will have to accept this challenge as protagonists in raising Western art to unknown levels of awareness and assume, with courage, the renaissance of the complete artist: author-performer-master, always maintaining the highest levels of excellence and professional ethics, illustrious citizens of the planet, inspired messengers of peace and love among people.

Eduardo Marturet- Caracas, May 2000

An effective formula for beginning a thorough analysis of an organizational model could consist of preparing a setting similar to that which the daily tasks are carried out –in our case, MAKING MUSIC– within an environment appropriate for REFLECTION, that will lead us on to a search for creative answers to the flaws that the organizational model might show, facing the demands of a difficult present and a dramatic future.

The arrival of the Third Millennium will bring a series of challenges to humanity. We will witness deep changes at both the individual and planetary levels. As inhabitants of this “global village” we cannot ignore this transformation processes if we wish to avoid being trapped within the involutional bubble.

The programming of REFLECTION AND CREATIVE INDUCTION WORKSHOPS could become the ideal setting for taking a look at ourselves, undertaking a thorough study of the different aspects of the organizational model of our ORCHESTRAS.

This is a very sensitive exercise that must be prepared following an agenda with details of all the issues to be discussed and how they are to be managed, so that the WORKSHOPS will evolve in a climate attuned to achieving the proposed objectives.

With the advent of the Third Millennium, the symphony orchestra is an organization must be analyzed if we wish for it to survive the deep-seated changes that we will surely witness in the coming decades. If the modern orchestra is a fairly recent instrument, its main goal, up to now, has been to master a basic repertoire, conceived and created for a social-cultural world very different from ours; this means that the audience is shrinking, becoming an increasingly elite group, with the resulting risk of ever-smaller market demand.

Unless new mechanisms are developed to keep its validity, the musical product offered by a symphony orchestra will, in the medium term, become prohibitively expensive due to the high operating costs. Likewise, the organizational model on which it is based for the purpose of achieving its artistic objective is subject to strict disciplinary rules that, even though identified with the logical exercise of team work, is contrary to the liberal spirit of the new times, where everything seems to indicate that orchestra musicians will become their own masters. It will then be much more difficult to create rules of the game adapted to an organizational model where the members suffer from a permanent split-personality syndrome, being both owners and employees of the institution.

For the symphony orchestras of Latin America, the challenge of survival in the face of the upcoming dramatic changes is not easily compared to that of the institutions in other continents with a longer tradition, more settled or greater financial stability. On the contrary, it will be

miraculous endeavor to design a functional model that will be able to adapt, without succumbing to the huge demands of an immediate and implacable future.

Audiences in the Third Millennium will be very demanding. It is estimated that 90%of the audience at a concert will have outstanding recordings of classical music, by the best performers in the world, in their homes. Although it is true that the best digital recording can never equal the magic interactive experience of a live concert, performers will have to offer a very high artistic level in order to justify the presence of an audience that has many other options for pleasure and entertainment, or, in the best of cases, has other priorities before deciding to go out. This is such a dramatic reality in the case of music that, at present, the automobile can actually be considered

the main venue for music . Moreover, the effects of globalization are being felt in some countries, especially in Spain, where it is less expensive to spend large amounts of money on tours by recognized foreign orchestras than to pay the cost of a local orchestra.

But, as impossible or difficult as it might seem, the alternative that our Latin American orchestras face is the challenge of excellence as the only possible goal for survival. Presenting a very high quality product that the audience can appreciate and massively enjoy. Otherwise, the only alternative stage will be to continue within a decadent artistic reality and, eventually, extinction. The main objective of “THE CHALLENGE OF EXCELLENCE” is to start a permanent forum, a SUPPORT and DEVELOPMENT program that provides our orchestras with access to the level of awareness needed to renovate and create and new paradigmatic model that can lead them, in the shortest time possible, to consolidate a solid platform, consonant with the upcoming new times.

It is very important to understand the concept of EXCELLENCE as the path leading to the goal, not as the goal itself. If the search for excellence is truly objective and sincere, we will realize that the goal is unattainable by definition, because their will always be something that can be improved, made more perfect. This approach, the concept of excellence as a path, not a goal, will give us the assurance of a healthy lack of complacency that will help us make art a discipline that is constantly evolving.

We must not trust those who claim to have achieved excellence, but rather untiringly follow the example of those in permanent search of excellence

For these WORKSHOPS to be successful, it is essential to set very well defined objectives, otherwise there is a risk of ambiguous and diffuse results that could lead to negative consequences.

When analyzing a symphony orchestra, we will find some basic elements that are, by definition, inherent in its very nature. An orchestra is made up of MUSICIANS who perform a specific task: MUSIC, for the public: AUDIENCE, following precise instructions by decision-makers: CONDUCTORS, in a specific setting: CONCERT.

If the objective of this CONFERENCE is to update the validity of the MODEL of a symphony orchestra, we could take the equation of these 5 basic elements: MUSIC+ORCHESTRA+CONDUCTOR+AUDIENCE= CONCERT as a true abstraction of orchestral activity. If one of these elements fails, it weakens, loses validity or produces “dissonance” vis-à-vis the others; the MODEL itself deviates from its basic definition. If we analyze any orchestra at a time of crisis, we could say that one or several of the elements in the equation are deficient, either from the organizational standpoint of the elements or due to their lack of validity within the operational environment.

Based on this reality, I would like to suggest an analysis of these 5 basic elements as the essential axis around which to design the objective of these WORKSHOPS.

“TELL ME WITH WHOM YOU PLAY AND I WILL TELL WHO YOU ARE”

For many people, the origin of all the problems of a symphony orchestra begin and end with the music, the essential axis of orchestral activity. Above and beyond any organizational situation of the human group, the raw material is the element that governs all the parameters and the final product: the reflection of the organizational model itself.

A symphony orchestra is, by definition, based on the performance of a very specific type of repertoire, generally known as “classical.” Only those orchestras that clearly place themselves within the referential framework of this “classical” repertoire are considered to be symphony orchestras. Simple in concept, but complex at the practical level.

Until the early 19th century, the setting of western music was built on the foundations of a well-defined paradigmatic model. Nikolaus Harnoncourt described it very well: “as every artistic form, music is linked to a particular time; it is the vivid expression of its own period and can only be completely understood by its contemporaries.” Baroque Music Today: As Speech. The German composer and orchestra conductor Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was the first to break with this paradigm when he played music of other times. When he revived the Passion According to Saint Matthew by Johan Sebastian Bach in 1829, 80 years after the death of the composer, he was considered an eccentric and his famous History Concerts introduced a custom that radically changed the repertoire of symphony orchestras up to our time.

One of the greatest problems of the current orchestras has to do with their relationship with the audience. Concert repertoires play a very important role and usually, after a detailed analysis, the conclusion is that program selection is aimed more at satisfying the needs of the musicians than those of the audience. This being one of the most controversial and difficult aspects to reconcile during a crisis situation, it is the one that can be decisive for the survival of a symphony orchestra, due as much to what the audience wants to hear as to what the musicians insist on playing.

The success or failure of a symphony season depends on the selection of an appropriate repertoire. Quite often the decision to perform a given artistic program is not based on a reality consonant

with the particular setting. Essentially the audience must find the repertoire interesting and attractive. This poses a delicate problem since the taste of the mass audience is tending more and more towards a “light” repertoire, which can distort the “classical” profile of a symphony orchestra.

Likewise, programming must reflect the micro-cultural climate of its setting, its immediate environment, as pointed out by Harnoncourt: “linked to a specific time,” and, we would add, to a specific place. When dealing with music from the South American continent, works of authors related to our community would hold a prominent place.

Good programming, within the range of technical capacity of the specific orchestral, should take into account overall development of the orchestra, and should be arranged according to an evolving projection of the orchestra over time, since it is only to the extent that the members of the orchestra can visualize the future content of the programming that they will be able to commit morally and professionally to this program.

This leads us to the delicate issue of the proper mechanism to be followed in programming. Every orchestra will have to discover the method that best suits its own organizational model. Depending on the dynamics of each group, consensus would seem to be the best method; nevertheless, since this is a creative process, with a high degree of artistic content, a sound procedure is for it to be “managed” by specialists. From here we move on to the artistic direction, which is usually one of the responsibilities of the conductor (or artistic director) or a committee chaired by him. Here we run into the old problem of power struggles, where the major conflicts within any human group begin. This setting may actually, for a number of reasons, be very dynamic; it is only as the artistic decisions become assertive that music will become the true axis of the orchestra’s activity.

Being able to objectively evaluate oneself is a sign of intelligence and an essential requirement for evolving.

In July 1992, the Arts Council of Great Britain and the BBC appointed a joint committee to study and issue a report about the symphony orchestras of Great Britain. In October 1994 a document was published, BBC/Arts Council Review of National Orchestra Provision (ISBN:

0-7287-0691-1), that contain very important conclusions concerning the issue. The first lines of the Introduction (page 6) state the following: “The orchestra is an institution that proclaims being in constant crisis, up to the point that its imminent death has been frequently predicted. Now, at the end of the 20th century it presents a vigorous artistic health but harassed by economical problems.”

Most probably if this same report had covered the orchestras on the South American continent, the introduction would be almost identical, except that the proper adjective for defining the artistic health of our orchestras would be “precarious” instead of “vigorous.”

One of the most difficult aspects to examine within an organization is the real condition of its members and their interaction with organization itself. Not only because of the dynamics of the orchestral profession itself, but also due to the complexity of the setting where it is located.

Daring to meet this challenge is a brave act and guarantees success; it may, however, have painful, not to say grave, consequences.

Below I have outlined some general criteria that could be evaluated as topics to discuss in preparing for the WORKSHOPS.

Over the past 300 years, symphony orchestras have shown an outstanding artistic development; unfortunately, however, the social aspect has not kept pace with the new times. The demands on a symphony musician are always greater in a professional environment that is very competitive. The

many years of preparation required in studying an instrument, in addition to the constant dedication required to maintain an appropriate level of competence, make it very difficult for the professional to dedicate his attention and energy to any other activity. If he is not rehearsing or playing at a concert, he has other jobs to compensate a salary that is generally not consonant with an acceptable standard of living. Although nobody decides to pursue a musical career with the idea of becoming rich, it is impossible to be a good professional without assurances of a certain standard of financial security. It is hard to expect standards of artistic excellence without the proper working environment. Although there are symphony orchestras where, in actual practice, the concept of excellence coexists with an appropriate working environment, interpersonal relations are far from ideal. The paradox is that, this being an institution organized around the idea of teamwork, the members are constantly subjected to a type of training that makes them totally unwilling to establish human relations that would help them improve their performance at work.

When an audience attends a concert and watches the orchestra and conductor, it surely imagines a relationship as harmonious and the gorgeous music being played. Audiences have no idea how far from the truth that is! A professional orchestra works on the basis of weekly periods. Generally a 3-hour rehearsal every day for 4 or 5 days, then the concert. The routine is then repeated the following week, but with a different repertoire and conductor. The musician arrives shortly before the rehearsal begins and leaves as soon as it is over. There is a mandatory recess lasting some 20 minutes, during which he may talk briefly with a colleague while drinking a cup of coffee or smoking a cigarette. The rest of the time, for an entire lifetime, he only ceases to be anonymous in the event of some major misfortune, either financial or health related. In some of the friendlier orchestras, the musician may be a member of the soccer team or be congratulated on a birthday, wedding day or when a child is born. Instead of being the most momentous event in his life, being hired for the first time by a symphony orchestra may actually be the most traumatic moment in a young musician’s artistic career, given the type of welcome he receives from the veteran colleagues. Far from showing pleasure at the arrival of an excellent young professional who most

probably will enhance the artistic reputation of the group, the older members tend to be distrustful, unpleasant or aggressive. As Rousseau would put it, the young musician arrives in a pure and uncontaminated state, yet soon undergoes a sad and unfortunate metamorphosis within the orchestra.

Among the many possibilities available to the human mind, the main one is the ability to learn and to practice what has been learned. It is not in vain that the brain is described as a muscle that, if not used, tends to atrophy. Both science and medicine consider that musical training is beneficial for the overall development of the mind given that, contrary to what happens under normal conditions, the right lobe receives as much attention as the left. In actual fact the results are obvious when studying the intellectual capacity of children who have received some type of musical training before the age of 7. The case of the professional musician is very different, however, because the training traditionally given in conservatories and music academies is aimed primarily at technical development of the ability to play an instrument. Once a musician becomes a member of an orchestra, he remains there for the rest of his or her career, repeating the technical exercises learned as a student. The musician’s mind perpetuates his ability to play, but not the ability to think, learn, reflect. Although it is true that not all members of an orchestra are the same and that some may be great thinkers, in general, most fit the profile described above. This means that, at the end of his career, the musician inevitably goes into retirement or, in the best of cases, to live off a pension with a very limited view of life. It is essential that the new model of organization for symphony orchestras consider the overall development of its members, where involvement in the activities of an orchestra provides a scenario of concrete situations that allow the members to continue evolving.

We have little more to say concerning the technical aspect of orchestra training. Orchestras today

have reached unprecedented levels of performance. However, the human aspect, which is just as important for the artistic side, has not been properly taken into account. No orchestra musician who still retains some degree of sensitivity could disagree. Therefore we firmly believe that a radical change is required in the model of the modern-day symphony orchestra insofar as the human aspect is concerned. A subject recognized in the business world for over a hundred years as “industrial relations,” which is studied as a separate degree, it is still unknown in the world of music. Just as companies take care of the physical and mental health of their employees, there is a whole unexplored territory of resources within orchestras that, once implemented, will make of the musician both a better prepared professional and a happier one.

The implementation of REFLECTION AND CREATIVE INDUCTION WORKSHOPS offers a unique opportunity for channeling the vast human potential that lies dormant within our orchestras. If we concentrate on making use of these resources, the model of the orchestra will adapt itself to the new realities and will become stronger, leaving behind its current vulnerable position. Happiness, which in other times was not considered an important element within the psychic spectrum of a worker, is now considered vitally important by the revolutionary theory of Emotional Intelligence.

The organization of an Orchestra is similar to that of a service company. Rather than a poetic reference this is, to a certain extent, a valid comparison. However, when we analyze it in detail we find some major differences. An enterprise having the characteristics of a stock company is based on initial working capital, supplied by each of the shareholders; this capital represents the main ASSET of the company. Although, ideally, the initial supply of capital should be enough during the life of the company, it is customary to increase the capital as necessary to help the company cope with difficult times or move forward with concrete growth strategies. In the case of an orchestra, the main ASSET is the musician, and the working capital is the annual allowance that it receives from its sponsoring entity. This working capital is used up entirely during the fiscal year to pay the wages of musicians and administrative personnel, production expenses, equipment rentals, etc. This situation, although deemed fully acceptable in the world of culture, would not meet with the approval of private businessmen. For them, what would be logical would be for the orchestra to receive an initial contribution as working capital, and this should be sufficient for it to pursue its activities as a “service company” for many years. What the community, whether the government or private enterprise, must understand is that the existence of an orchestra enriches the life of the members of this community, regardless of whether a considerable sector of this community attends the concerts or not, whether or not they like the music associated with the orchestra. The concept of excellence plays an important role here. It is only when the musical product is of high quality that the community begins to understand the need to have a “service company” that raises its level of life, that consolidates its prestige, and becomes willing to support and replenish the working capital every fiscal year.

The institutional profile of any organization must be clearly perceived by the community. This concept might seem very simple in theory, but is not necessarily the case in practice. If a poll were to be taken within a community, we would probably find diffuse and poorly defined views concerning its symphony orchestra. Quite probably not even the members of the orchestra have a clear image of its profile. Although not a crime, we would have to admit that it is a quite hazardous reality for the future of the institution. This, unfortunately, is a situation found in many orchestras worldwide, and proof that a deeper and thorough analysis of the organizational model of a symphony orchestra is needed.

The study would have to begin with an examination of the statutory status of the institution and a study of its legitimacy. Many orchestras were originally founded based on a specific legal framework and its validity is not consistent with the way in which the organization has evolved. As an example let’s take the case of the SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF CONCEPCION in Chile. Still part of the structure of the UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION CULTURAL CORPORATION, the ORCHESTRA should have its own corporate identity; if this is not the case, the necessary steps should be taken in order to achieve it. The Corporation would be the governing entity of the orchestra, with the authority to exercise the necessary control by appointing the appropriate legal representatives. Far from trying to separate the image of the Orchestra from that of the University, the purpose would be to define the distance between the two and design strategies consonant with reality. The other alternative would be to continue wandering on with a diffuse profile. If the community does not view the orchestra as part of the University, the University could, at some point, begin to feel the same way and simply begin to ignore the orchestra. At the same time that the orchestra forges a realistic and clear bond with its governing entity, it must extend its profile within the community, looking for new financing sources that will allow it to consolidate its own institutional structure. The possibilities are infinite if the community views the orchestra as something of its own and understands what it contributes in terms of quality of life.

The most controversial aspect of the current model of a symphony orchestra is its autocratic regime. Many consider this to be an essential condition for the proper functioning of an orchestra. Others view it as a necessary evil that will eventually mutate into something more in agreement with the demands of the new times. As we pointed out earlier, the orchestra’s musicians are becoming its own masters. The 20th century has witnessed a gradual, but inevitable, evolution from the tyrannical despotism of Toscanini to the gentle democracy of Abbado. Three of the world’s most famous orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic, technically work as companies with the musicians as shareholders. They are based on a curious organizational model where democracy and autocratic leadership coexist in harmony. Although these three are good examples, it is also necessary to recognize that there are many other orchestras that, although based on this model, show very dubious –not to say mediocre

—artistic results. What frequently happens is that the members of these orchestras are confused by the dual role they are asked to play: when they must be owners it is easier to behave as employees, and when they must act as employees they’d rather be owners.

During my 30 years as a conductor, I have found a recurrent myth, the totally mistaken idea that the economic aspect is the most important item when forming an orchestra. More than one government official or private entrepreneur with the best of intentions has thought that, provided you have a great deal of money, you can create an excellent orchestra. Of course the material aspect is necessary, but it is not the basic one. Solid economic backing gives you peace of mind, but the only aspect that guarantees the future of an orchestra as an organization n is the health of its labor relations.

On of the most decisive issues within any institution is the difference between the training and skills of a group having a similar profile as regards remuneration and responsibilities. For example, if performance is uneven in the double bass section, the problem should be solved immediately. In actual fact, however, the issue will probably never be openly discussed and no decision will be reached. The consequences are not difficult to imagine. The artistic level of the section will be deficient, working relations among the members will be tense, and an imperceptible

but obvious negative energy will be felt by the other members of the orchestra. If the problem is not solved quickly, the bad precedent will open the door to similar situations in other sections of the orchestra. In the long run, the problem will be devastating and there will probably be no solution.

It is essential to make an objective, sincere and accurate evaluation of this basic aspect in a symphony orchestra. As there are many different angles involved in the body of the orchestra –the professional level, union relations, interaction with the administration, etc.– it would be difficult to deal with each one in detail in this document, but it is important to note that it all boils down to the need for very clear rules of the game. A basic requisite is for harmony, dedication and synergy to coexist within an organization, especially within an orchestra where power struggles, if not properly handled, could lead to unfair situations.

Orchestra discipline is frequently compared to that of the military. In fact, military hierarchy is very similar to the ranks and levels of responsibility that exist, from a “row” performer to an “assistant soloist,” “main soloist” up to the “concertmaster” and. finally, the conductor. When the musicians are rehearsing or playing in a concert they are wearing the employee’s “hat” and the autocratic regime is absolute. There cannot, within the mind of the collective, be any doubt whatsoever about the verticality of this “military” organization model, or its rules. Otherwise, the results of the teamwork will be very deficient. Likewise, when the members of an orchestra get together to deliberate, either as “bosses” or simply as members of the collective, democracy should always prevail, the horizontal model in making decisions. The health of working relations within a symphony orchestra depends on the capacity to adjust the mind-set from the democratic to the autocratic, from the horizontal to the vertical models.

Beginning in the third millennium, the international relations of any organization will be of vital importance. Until the massive use of the Internet in recent years, orchestras had not perceived international contact as something frequent, or even necessary. Nevertheless, once you have seen the advantages, it is difficult to live without it. Nowadays it costs very little to create a web page and the benefits at both national and worldwide levels can be huge.

Another important aspect for an orchestra is to belong to international organizations, such as the American Symphony Orchestra League, which was founded in 1942 and since then has played a very important role in supporting all the member orchestras on this and other continents. The ASOL conference is held annually, in April or May, and is the most important one of its kind, a must for representatives of all the orchestras in the Western Hemisphere. Likewise, ASOL has annual Training and Professional Development seminars at both artistic and administrative levels. The geographical location of our orchestras makes permanent contact with orchestras on other continents more necessary than ever. In view of this the Ibero-American Association of Symphony Orchestras should be created in the near future.

According to British journalist and music critic Norman Lebrecht, conductors are the main cause of the current, deplorable state of symphony orchestras. Gustav Mahler said that there were neither good nor bad orchestras, only good or bad conductors. In 1890, Giuseppe Verdi said that conductors would become the “divas” of the 20th century. During the Communist period in Russia, a symphony orchestra designed to play without a conductor was formed, with little success. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra of New York is probably the only successful example of an ensemble in which the members are “self conductors.”

The conductor –originally the concertmaster or the composer– is today the essential piece in the orchestra’s life. In the worst of cases he may be a rusty metronome that stands between the performers and the music or, at the other end of the spectrum, a great artist, an important leader of the community.

The democratic model of the orchestra includes the hegemony and autocracy of the Permanent Director. This marriage between two seemingly opposite forces is the essential foundation of a healthy orchestra organization.

I frequently compare a symphony orchestra to a racing car. For the vehicle to be in good condition, it must have a good mechanic who, besides understanding the needs of the driver on the racetrack, has all the knowledge needed to keep the motor and all the mechanical parts in perfect condition. You may have a Formula 1 car, but if isn’t properly maintained it won’t even do well in a go-cart race. The permanent conductor of the orchestra is the mechanic who keeps it in shape. His knowledge of mechanics are as important as his qualities as a driver. In many orchestras, especially those that are in the development stage and in need of a good coach, the situation is the opposite; the permanent director is an excellent driver, but knows little about mechanics. The result is easy to imagine, the orchestra neither develops as it should nor overcomes its technical problems because of the lack of proper training. In these cases, although contradictory, it is better to have a good technician on the podium rather than a good artist, a good mechanic rather than a good driver.

Quite frequently we find the surprising situation of symphony orchestras that regularly work without a permanent conductor. Many of them feel that a permanent conductor is an undesirable profile within the organization. They would rather work with an artistic committee in charge of defining and hiring a season with guest conductors. All of them, without a doubt, excellent drivers, but the vehicle will not really be in good condition. Usually orchestras that have decided to do without the services of a permanent director are the ones that have had bad experiences or are managed by power forces who would feel threatened by the presence of a such an authority figure. Sooner or later, however, the need to look for the suitable person to act as a permanent director will become obvious.

Continuing with similes and comparisons, a concert season could look somewhat like a menu at a restaurant. The guest directors are the exotic dishes, and the permanent conductor the daily meal, providing a properly balanced diet that allows for the sound and healthy development of the organism.

I will take advantage of this opportunity to present the profile of a permanent conductor. According to the American Symphony Orchestra League, these should be his responsibilities:

The Permanent Conductor is responsible of the operability and artistic development of an orchestra. He exercises his authority over the artistic territory, previously mutually agreed and specified in a contract signed by the Permanent Conductor and the accredited authorities by the orchestra.

The Permanent Conductor will work as follows:

Always consulting with the manager, should there be one, and the Members of the Board of Directors.

Within the limits of the orchestra’s budget. According to the terms of the Musician’s Union.

Musical Responsibilities:

Planning of the Concert Season: regular concerts, extraordinary concerts, season ticket concerts, pops, programming camera groups.

Developing long-term plans for the orchestra.

Planning the repertoire: selecting pieces, rehearsal plans.

Selection and approval of artistic personnel: auditions, hiring, dismissals, and selection of main instrument players, location and row selection.

Selection of invited guests: conductors and soloists

Conduct the engaged concerts and supervise the work of the assistant directors. Develop the artistic quality of the orchestra.

Non-Musical Responsibilities:

Become a visible part of the community Promote the orchestra

Become the orchestra’s “Public Relations” Represent the orchestra at public acts.

Develop the public image of the orchestra within the community and outside of it.

Of all the MUSICAL RESPONSIBILITIES, item 4. Selection and approval of the artistic personnel: auditions, contracting, lay offs, selection of main instrument players, location and row selection, is the most delicate one involving relations with the members of the orchestra and the power groups that exist within it. Next in importance is item 3. Repertoire planning: selection of works, rehearsal plan and, to a lesser extent, item 5. Selection of guest artists: conductors and soloists. There being no unified criteria concerning the orchestral activity, decisions made may be wrong and very dangerous as regards the artistic personnel. Just to mention one, the selection of instrument players and their location within the row, as well as their rotation depending on the orchestral body present for each program, can produce irregularities and injustices if not managed in the best way possible. When there is no permanent authority watching out for the orchestra’s artistic interests, the prevailing criteria in the decision making fosters inefficiency within the organization and favors the comfort of internal groups that hold power. This will have a detrimental influence on the dedication and morale of the group, producing deficient artistic results.

There is no questioning the need for a permanent conductor of an orchestra. If problems exist between the conductor and the orchestra, these should be addressed and solved the best way possible, either by reviewing the profile of responsibilities or finding a capable replacement. If the orchestra does not have a permanent conductor, the proper mechanisms should be implemented to select and, eventually, hire one. It is vitally important that the level of the conductor be consonant with the level of the orchestra. No less important is the permanent conductor’s capacity to relate to the community and “become a visible part of it.” This leads us think of an individual with close roots, local ones; this can be quite difficult when we remember that nobody is a prophet in his own land!

It is often said that the musicians are the least qualified people when it comes to choosing their conductors –a bit as though we were asked to choose our own parents.

The role of the guest conductor in symphony programming is vital for maintaining balance and variety with the permanent conductor. The selection of guest conductors will depend on the repertoire chosen by the permanent conductor as the guests should conduct a complementary repertoire. Programming will then be more varied and complete for both the audience and the orchestra.

A good menu of guest conductors should have a stable group of known maestros, well liked by the orchestra, who return periodically every season, and a number of “veteran” new conductors, to ensure a continuously evolving programming. We cannot forget the permanent search for new talent that will allow for renewal of the orchestra over the long term.

The guest conductor can be conceived as the alter ego, providing the orchestra with the option of breaking with the daily routine and the permanent conductor with the opportunity of scheduling a permanently inspired season.

We explained above (3.3.2) how the esteem in which a community holds its symphony orchestra is based in the notion that its existence represents quality of life for the members of the community, even if only a small part of the community attends concerts or enjoys the type of music with which it is associated.

The esteem it may or may not receive depends to a large extent on its prestige. This is a very important and delicate issue, since the concept of prestige can be based on subjective elements of judgment. Prestige can be a synonym of reputation, yet not necessarily of quality. Somebody once said that a squirrel is nothing but a rat with good public relations, unquestionably an excellent example to show how the perception of things can vary significantly with a subjective judgment. In mass communications the concept of prestige is considered an attribute that must be cultivated over a lifetime, but can be lost in an instant. The moment the squirrel begins to be perceived as a rat, although still a squirrel it will be seen as a rat. This is the same case, in reverse, as the monkey dressed in silk. Both are based on concepts of prestige and reputation,

The reason for a service company’s existence is the customers to whom the product or service is addressed. All too often orchestras consider only those who attend their concerts as their audience. They may be the most visible part, but they are not the only ones who could be permanently involved with the institution. Here prestige plays a very important role, together with the VOLUNTEERS and FRIENDS ASSOCIATION, two groups with very similar profiles yet, at the same time, quite different. Equally important are key people of the community who, although not directly related to the orchestra, are a decisive factor in upholding favorable opinions of the institution. This leads us into the issue of the Public Relations Department that every orchestra should have. Nevertheless, we cannot forget that the best possible publicity and public relations is what the orchestra does on stage, receiving the applause of the audience, a full, sold out hall. If the musical product offered by the orchestra is of excellent quality, all the concerts will always be sold out and the community will be proud of having such an institution, with great prestige, a winning team, an image to export beyond its borders.

As small or regional as an orchestra may be, it should consider expanding its audience as the only true means for survival.

The fastest way of developing an audience, in addition to regular concerts, involves production of quality recordings of these concerts. Note that we have underlined the concept of quality. This is vitally important, because, if lacking, the productions for radio or television do not project an image of excellence, and this is counterproductive. The making of commercial recordings, CD’s, is one of the most important aspects for the artistic development of an orchestra. From the moment that a microphone is set in front of the musician’s stand, his attitude towards the work changes radically, the awareness of leaving evidence of his capacity leads the individual to improve his performance with incredible speed. Although it is true that not all the orchestras have the proper artistic level to make commercial recordings, this threshold must be accessed as a sine qua non requirement for surviving the immediacy of the third millennium.

An orchestra’s “invisible audience” is a measure of the extent to which it can develop an overall growth strategy. As for the INTERNET, it is currently the ultimate public relations tool. The orchestra should also be incorporated as part of the city’s tourist attractions, thus enriching the menu of options offered to the visitor, in addition to improving its profile within the community.

Finally, the end result of the equation MUSIC+ORCHESTRA+CONDUCTOR+ AUDIENCE, the culmination of the work week, comes the most important moment in a musician’s profession.

The concert, the purpose of all the orchestral activity, the stage where artistic quality is put on display, where you conquer success or lose honor.

It is interesting to note that many orchestras overlook very important aspects that, although accessory, ensure a proper environment for the concert. A lack of control over responsibilities shared with other specialties, such as the theater administration, stage personnel, box office personnel, guides or ushers, etc., is no excuse. When members of an audience attend a concert, they are not necessarily aware of the shared responsibilities; they view it as a single event, without expressing sectarian value judgments. It useless to ensure excellence at the artistic level if the setting where the music is presented is not managed following the same criteria.

Concerts are, by definition, rituals; they can hardly be conceived in any other way. As in the case of all rites, sacred or profane, details are very important. Orchestras are guided in this rite by

certain rules of etiquette that have been followed for more than two centuries. These rules generally fulfill a practical purpose and a ceremonial purpose. As an example we can take the entrance of the concertmaster, once the orchestra is on stage; in addition to recognition of his rank, this is also a signal for the audience to focus its attention on the stage, applaud the orchestra, followed by silence so that the musicians can tune the instruments, building up the necessary tension for the conductor to make his appearance and for the concert to begin.

It is important to remind every member of the orchestra what is obvious: the concert is a public act, for the audience. What is not so obvious is the importance of the ritual that wraps the concert in magic. Music is also heard with the eyes! Therefore, this aspect requires the same attention to detail as the artistic side. Just as the section of first violins does its best to achieve a beautiful musical phrase, technically perfect, well tuned, all of them with their bows in the same position, it is essential that the same care be shown for all the “visible” aspects, where body language is almost as important as the musical result.

At present it is not enough to present a high level concert, the environment where the performance takes place must reflect the same spirit of excellence.

It is the direct responsibility of the orchestra management to watch out for the quality and all services of the theater or concert hall, supervising every small detail as well. Without having to go to extremes, as do some London halls where they offer a PROFESSIONAL BABY-SITTING service to take care of the children while their parents enjoy the concert, it is very important to watch over the level of attention of the USHERS, since they, after all, come in direct contact with the audience. To mention one example, details such as the rules governing audience entry to the hall once the concert has started are important for offering full, quality service.

The most important aspect for the audience is the program offered by the orchestra. A season is really an options menu that will or will not encourage the audience to attend the concerts scheduled by the orchestra.

Quite often orchestras present concert seasons that are not well received by the public. This is because a non-coherent artistic criterion is allowed to prevail. Although it is true that a season should present options for all type of audience, it is also true that it must have a defined profile based on sound artistic proposals.

Concert programs have been frequently compared to gastronomic menus, very properly so as it easy to understood how, in both cases, the options can go from profane to sacred, from commonplace to sublime.

Each orchestra must adjust its programming to its specific profile, and it must, to some extent, reflect the artistic philosophy of the program and the profile of the season.