Mark Volpe on Tanglewood’s Non-Classsical Programming
Thinking Inside the Box
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 07, 2010
Today, the Berkshire Eagle ran a review, by Richard Houdek, of the just completed, two day, annual Tanglewood Jazz Festival. That marks the end of the official season in Lenox. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is back home as speculation mounts about the ability of maestro, James Levine, to return to the podium, and resume a grueling schedule for the BSO. He is also commuting from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. On October 9 he will conduct a matinee of the Met Live in HD and an evening performance in Boston. The media will pay close attention to that day/ night double header.
For the second of three seasons Levine took a medical leave from Tanglewood. In his absence the orchestra mostly landed on its feet with a superb season featuring guest conductors. There was also terrific and financially successful non classical programming.
The summer started with a three day, totally sold out event featuring perennial favorite, Berkshire resident, James Taylor, joined by his singer/ songwriter friend, Carole King. Not only was it a great launch for Tanglewood it was also a shot in the arm for what proved to be an awesome season for the many Berkshire arts organizations and the hospitality/ restaurant industry.
While there are no published statistics or spread sheets of the all important bottom line the general consensus is that 2010 proved to be a day vs. night improvement over the miserable 2009 season. Last summer there was a tsunami of lousy weather, terrible economy, and often iffy programming.
From the hard lessons learned there has been ever more energy during the off season for arts organizations to network, engaging in long term marketing strategies. It is appearing to pay off as the Berkshires increasingly are becoming a destination for tourism and vacationers.
Most of the focus and traffic remains in Southern Berkshire County and the immediate radius around Lenox and Tanglewood. But, particularly year round, there is a subtle shift to Pittsfield as the matrix for cultural tourism. The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield had nice traffic for its featured exhibition Wrapped. Barrington Stage had a strong summer season and Beacon Cinema has joined the mix stimulating the emergence of several new restaurants within walking distance. There is also the gorgeously restored and now established Colonial Theatre.
In Northern Berkshire County there have been interesting and aggressive moves to carve out a bigger slice of summer arts and leisure tourism. In 2008 the rock band Wilco performed at Tangelwood but sent shock waves through the old guard. The cry of never again echoed through the pages of the Berkshire Eagle.
With panache, however, Joe Thompson, the director of Mass MoCA, looked at the Wilco numbers, assessed the chill at Tanglewood, and wisely extended an invitation to the Chicago based band. MoCA launched what many anticipate will be an annual rock festival in North Adams. The event sold some 5,000 weekend passes. By setting up an outdoor stage in adjacent property and exploiting the full range of potential for the campus the museum has created the infra structure and template for expanded popular music and arts programming. Some feel it is encroaching on Tangelwood's turf through a combination of default and autocratic apathy.
As a startup for MoCA there were glitches but there are already meetings and plans to do it better next year. Particularly, an all important mandate to bring more of that weekend traffic into downtown North Adams. Those involved state that they are working on it.
Adding to the leadership of Mass MoCA the Clark was mobbed for its hit show of Picasso Looks at Degas. It ends this weekend so this is your last chance before the exhibition moves to Barcelona. This is its only American venue.
The Williamstown Theatre Festival also got back on solid ground this year after a tough 2009 season. In his final of three seasons artistic director, Nicholas Martin, restored the magic of the Festival which had lost its charisma in recent years.
All of this news is terrific and upbeat. Unless you read Andy Pincus, the classical music critic, in the Berkshire Eagle. He is indeed a deeply knowledgeable authority but out of touch with a broader view of the strides to bring stability and sound financial structure to the fragile Berkshire arts community.
His season wrap-up in the Friday, September 3, 2010 issue of the Berkshire Eagle “Tanglewood, without Levine, carried on” including an interview with Mark Volpe, managing director of the BSO, quoted him winding down the piece on a sour note.
Often it seems at the Eagle that the left hand does not communicate with the right hand. That day’s paper ran a review by pop critic, Jeremy D. Goodwin, of the final concert in the Shed of the rock band Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The BSO departed following its Sunday concert. Just three days later, September 1, the rock band drew a near to capacity audience for what proved to be a mellow event. This was no raucous Wilco performance the likes of which raised the dander of Pincus. Had he attended even Andy might have had a good time. While it was a musical success the band also put some much needed coin in the coffers. The extra cash helps to pay for more of those classical concerts.
We spotted Volpe hanging out and enjoying the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. I asked him why he took a shot at Crosby Stills and Nash? It seemed less that diplomatic as the band had nearly sold out an empty stage providing the kind of mellow occasion that is not unlike a concert byJames Taylor.
Volpe asked me for the quote as he stated he had not read the Pincus piece. I related his crack about “Innkeepers.” Reminding him that the CS&N event occurred during a school night, at the end of the season, when families and tourists have largely departed the Berkshires. It is doubtful that many fans traveled to the Berkshires to see the band.
The most important point of the successful CS&N event was that it drew on a very large and obviously local audience. These are just the kind of folks that Tanglewood needs to recruit and develop as an audience base.
Here is the full Eagle statement.
Toward the end of a long piece Pincus wrote “…Volpe said the BSO must keep its primary focus on ‘perpetuating Western art music and training the next generation of musicians.’
“A ‘wonderful relationship’ with folk singer James Taylor, who gave three sold-out performances this year, will continue, and a few other low-key popular attractions such as Garrison Keillor’s ‘Prairie Home Companion’ radio show will also appear Volpe said. The BSO could book additional popular events and schedule them on weekends, he added ‘and I’m sure a few innkeepers might be happy with that. But that’s not what we are.’ “
Responding to the Innkeeper comment Volpe told me that “I was quoted out of context.”
He explained that because of declining ticket sales programs similar to Tanglewood are booking popular acts on weekends with their larger potential audiences and sales. He mentioned the Hollywood Bowl as an example.
Nobody is suggesting that here I told him. “Not you, but the Innkeepers are” he said. Adding that the hospitality industry is vocal in stating their needs and suggestions. “My answer was in response to that.”
But what about the bottom line, which has been greatly assisted by James Taylor, these past few seasons? And how do you develop new and younger audiences? Looking around us in the Shed I told him nobody seems to be under 65.
“Look out on the lawn” he responded “There are plenty of young people.”
Isn’t the classical programming too conservative I asked? When Levine has tried to introduce 20th century composers the audience support has been disappointing. Two summers ago there was a series in honor of the elderly Elliott Carter. The concerts were harshly critiqued by Pincus. So where is the new music in the programming beyond the mid week, annual contemporary series?
The BSO/ Tangelwood programming resembles major museums mounting show after show of French Impressionism.
Yes, we all are grateful for the wonderful James Taylor concerts. But, I asked, aren’t there other acts that would make a perfect match with Tanglewood? Crosby Still and Nash fit the mandate. As did Simon and Garfunkel who were scheduled mid season. This year we also enjoyed Audra McDonald and Herbie Hancock. A couple of years ago there was a stunning evening with Barbara Cook as well as Tony Bennett. How about Dylan and Springsteen I asked?
“Simon and Garfunkel cancelled on us” he said. “We didn't canel on them. We would love to have them. Garfunkel’s throat is still recovering. He was up here the other night in the audience for Crosby Stills and Nash. We would love to have Springsteen and Dylan but those acts are too big for us. They play much larger stadiums.”
That surprised me. But I was floored when Volpe told me that he has seen Springsteen perform several times. Who knew? And yes there are rock and popular acts that are appropriate for Tanglewood. He assured us that he is always looking for those opportunities within the tight summer schedule. If they fit in at the beginning, or end of the season, and mid-week.
“We would love to have Audra McDonald back every year if possible” he said. "But I am not going to book an act (like Barbara Cook) who is booked here during the season (last minute at the Mahaiwe). This festival (Tanglewood Jazz Festival) has become a tradition. Overall, I see that we will have five or six major non classical concerts each season.”
This year there were three by James Taylor and Carole King, one mid season, Simon and Garfunkel (cancelled), and Crosby Stills and Nash. So that meant just four in the Shed where five were planned. Six actually if you add Garrison Keillor. But why bother. You could just phone in that event. Also Tanglewood has the Mark Morris franchise. What is it about that programming that seems repetitious and enervating?
In Ozawa Hall there were two, McDonald and Hancock. Both sensational. Although Herbie got mostly tepid to harsh reviews.
Volpe commented that Tanglewood would like to put more diverse popular programs in Ozawa Hall but it has become so successful as a venue it is now almost impossible to find open dates. Not just for performances but also for rehearsals and teaching programs.
The good news is that Tanglewood is fully booked. The challenge is to find some wiggle room. It’s a plus for thirsty audiences and adds a jingle to the cash register.