Orchestra Nova San Diego

The Extraordinary Nova Experience

2012-01-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

We just finished this video from the November concert, here's what you're missing if you haven't experienced Nova 2.0 yet.

The Nova Experience continues in November

2011-11-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

We want to give you an inside look into the fun we have in store for Bach, Baroque, Beatles and All That Jazz.

The Nova Experience will begin the minute you enter the lobby, and here are just some examples of what you’ll find when the doors open at 6:00 p.m.:

Dave Scott from KUSI performing with his jazz combo in our “speak-easy”
Beatles display
Leave the food and drinks to us! German sauerbraten and New Orleans style jambalaya are on the evening’s menu, with bread pudding for dessert.
Get jazzed up with the life-sized faux Jung-Ho and have your photo taken (available online for printing later)

…and many more surprises in store!

Food and drink tickets will be available for sale at 6:00 p.m. – so join us for a light supper (kids are welcome, of course!) before the performance. Prices are $10 for a small plate of food, $3 for coffee, water and/or dessert. Wine is available at Qualcomm Hall and Sherwood Auditorium for $5.

***The Nova Experience begins at 6:00. The Orchestra Nova performance begins at 7:30.

Friday, November 18: Coronado Performing Arts Center - 650 D Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118

Saturday, October 22: Qualcomm Hall, 5775 Morehouse Dr., San Diego, CA 92121

Monday, October 24: Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St., San Diego, CA 92037

***The entrance to Sherwood Hall will be different this year – enter through Axline Court (main lobby of the Contemporary Museum of Art San Diego in La Jolla.)

Join us at 6:00 p.m. during our Nova Classics series for the new and expanded Nova Experience

2011-10-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

We want to give you an inside look at what Nova 2.0 will mean for you at our season opening performances on October 22nd and October 24th.

First of all, leave the food and drinks to us! Lobby doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and we will have plenty of delicious fare available for purchase. The theme of the evening is, of course, Mozart Loves Prague – and the Nova Experience will begin the minute you enter the lobby.

Some examples of what you’ll find:

Minuet dance lessons
Exhibit of Czech glass and beads
A chance to pick up a musical instrument and get photos taken standing next to a life-sized faux Jung-Ho (available online for printing)
Plates of beer-braised short ribs with caramelized mashed potatoes, wild mushroom strudel with German potato salad, apple strudel, Viennese desserts – even sausages in a blanket for the young or young-at-heart
Viennese coffees and teas, wine and German beer
Opportunities to use your SmartPhones to tweet responses to our Nova “Twivia” questions, shown on monitors inside and outside the hall

Food and drink tickets will be available for sale at 6:00 p.m. – so join us for a light supper and fun lobby activities before the performance.

***The Nova Experience begins at 6:00. The performance begins at 7:30.

Saturday, October 22: Qualcomm Hall, 5775 Morehouse Dr., San Diego, CA 92121

Monday, October 24: Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St., San Diego, CA 92037

***The entrance to Sherwood Hall will be different this year –enter through Axline Court (main lobby of the Contemporary Museum of Art San Diego in La Jolla.)

Getting around Nova 2.0

2011-09-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Wondering about Nova 2.0? This should help illustrate what you can expect.

Lunch with Mr. Almanza (our Mr. Holland)

2011-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

Most people assume only a large team could pull off everything that we do, but in reality Orchestra Nova has a small administrative staff; just a handful us are in the office full time. We come from a variety of different backgrounds, career paths and generations, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered the musical connection with my colleague Erin Oleno.

Earlier this year I was on the phone speaking with my former high school band director, Richard Almanza, regarding some music that I was lending to his school orchestra. After I hung up the phone I heard “were you just talking with Mr. A-l-m-a-n-z-a?” Soon Erin and I realized that we had the same music teacher, nearly a decade apart and at different high schools in San Diego County. I was a band student at Helix High School in La Mesa in the mid-1980s and Erin was a choir student in the early-90s in Escondido.

After realizing this connection, we started reminiscing about musical days gone by and talking about the powerful impact a dedicated music teacher could have. I attribute my 20-plus years in the performing arts to not only my years as an energetic, young tuba player, but also to the positive guidance and confidence I received from my band director. Like in many good movies, it’s the football coach or school counselor or English teacher that shapes a student’s experience in high school and who has a life-changing and lasting impact on them. Erin has said that knowing she was selected to sing the National Anthem at graduation kept her spirits (and attendance) up during her final year of high school.

Both Erin and I always knew we were destined to work in the arts, but we never would have guessed that we also share the teacher who nurtured our passion.

After coordinating schedules, the three of us finally found time to meet over lunch. Sitting across the table, Erin and I both felt that his calm demeanor and bright smile was still there after so many years – refreshingly unchanged. Even though he has inspired thousands of young music students over his more than twenty years as a teacher, we still felt like we were the most important people he was talking with that day. As we parted, he reminded us that it was okay to call him “Richard” instead of “Mr. Almanza.” We’re not sure about that…

By Paige Satter, Concerts and Education Manager

Richard Almanza is currently Instrumental Music Director for Valhalla High School

Aural Tradition - BJ Leiderman's Unique Way of Composing and a Glimpse at the Man Behind All Those NPR Tunes

2011-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

BJ Leiderman, Public Radio Theme Composer and

Guest Artist at Orchestra Nova's Celebrating San Diego's KPBS

Concerts: April 1 - 4, 2011

Erica Malouf of Orchestra Nova: What are your top two favorite theme music scores from television or radio (you can’t choose your own)? BJ: My TV theme heroes are Mike Post (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue) and W. G. Snuffy Walden (Thirtysomething, The West Wing). These themes set the emotional stage for what was to be on that screen for the next 30-60 minutes. Producers, on the whole, don't take enough time these days to let the music do it's magic.

EM: Your composer credits include the theme music for some of the most recognizable tunes in America, such as for “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me,” “Car Talk,” “Marketplace,” “Morning Edition,” and “Weekend Edition.” But you’ve never written music in your life! How is that possible? BJ Leiderman: I took piano lessons for a while as a kid. But I also used to memorize and play Beatle songs. That taught me a lot of the chords, melody, harmony and song structure. Then I just started banging out simple tunes on the piano, using the chords that the Fab Four had "turned me on to." Since I was used to playing by ear, I never got around to putting notes on paper.

So, when I began to produce scores for NPR, I would first record multi-track demos on my computer workstation and my learned friends would transcribe these demos into scores. For the second arrangement of Morning Edition, NPR introduced me to A-List NYC Session trombonist and arranger Jim Pugh. My music, and my life, have never been the same. Jim's arrangements are an extremely important part of my writing. He takes my simple tunes, fleshes them out, and breathes life into them. He takes my charcoal caterpillar sketches and turns them into gorgeous, colorful butterflies.

EM: What do you admire about the Beatles? BJ: The Beatles are the first band to succeed in constantly evolving their music while taking their audience with them. And in such a short period of time! From I Want To Hold Your Hand to Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds was only THREE YEARS!

EM: You call yourself an entertainer, so what is your favorite joke to tell? BJ: Three mothers bragging to each other about their sons. The first one boasts of how much money her son the doctor makes. The second mother, not to be outdone, says that her bubbie the lawyer makes even more than that. "That's nothing," responds the third mother. "My son pays $300 every week just to talk to somebody about ME!"

EM: In elementary school, you were in a band called Lively Sound Dimension, otherwise known as LSD (which you mentioned was painted in psychedelic colors on the bass drum head). How did that go over with the ladies on the playground? BJ: Band leader David Lively, my longtime friend and Chicago stage actor, was the pretty boy in the band. I had to run around in the light just to be seen. Much later in life, however, the LSD came in quite handy. This, from stories I have heard, mind you.

EM: If we play your melodies backward will we hear a trippy message? BJ: Morning Edition played backwards yields "Turn Me Over, Dead Man." (he's joking)

EM: You spent some time as an ad man in New York. Is it as glamorous as AMC’s “Mad Men” would have us believe? BJ: Hardly. There is so much talent and money wasted in that industry. Instead of brainwashing us, they should be informing and educating us about the product or service, so we can make up our own minds. Instead, they create a "need" that does not exist in the natural world, and in the process turn our young people into robots who blindly buy these things in order to be accepted or to be cool.

EM: What is the best advice that you got from any of the “theater gods” at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) music theater workshops you were invited to attend in New York? BJ: Stephen Sondheim reminded me to make sure the lyrics kept the storyline moving during the songs. Paul Simon also harps on keeping the music in your songwriting interesting...not too repetitive or predictable.

EM: Do you have any advice for aspiring composers? BJ: Become the best you can be on your instrument. You will have to actually go out and play your stuff one day. Everyone mimics their heroes when first learning how to write songs. But eventually, force yourself into uncomfortable territory. Don't be afraid to change lanes and BE DIFFERENT. And by all means, don't let anyone tell you "you can't do this" or "this won't sell." As my good friend and monster songwriter Robbin Thompson is fond of saying, "Nobody knows what a song will do until you Put It Out There." So, GETITOUTTHERE!

EM: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would play you? BJ: I would, of course. (I need the money).

EM: For all the foodies out there, if Jung-Ho were to come to your home town, where would you take him to eat and what is your favorite home-town dish? BJ: No-brainer (I cannot BELIEVE I just used that most lame catch phrase)... I would take him to Steinhilber's Thalia Acres Inn. My parents took me there starting when I was just old enough to throw my food into the adjacent booth. There, he would lose his mind over their specialty, and still my favorite dish...Fantail Fried Shrimp dipped in their Special Sauce. Apologies to Owsly (may he rest in peace), but he will see colors.

Soprano Maria Lozano on Singing, San Diego and Her Favorite Mexican Dish

2011-02-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

Q&A with Maria Lozano,

featured soloist in the February 2011

concert series: Nova Intimately

Erica Malouf of Orchestra Nova: Maria, you have a beautiful voice. When did you discover you could sing?
Maria Lozano: I wanted to be a singer since I can remember. When I watched opera on T.V. with my father as a little child I always thought they were living in a fairytale. A world of magic surrounded me when I heard those voices and I wanted to be a part of it.
I knew I wanted to sing but didn't know how until I got to high school. The music teacher, Jose Veliz, had a choir of young girls and a little orchestra and when I heard the girls I got so excited that I wanted to be a part of it. That magic that I heard when I was a five-year-old was coming back to me and I decided to try out for the choir.
I felt that I belonged there and that is how I discovered I wanted to be a singer.

EM: It’s interesting that you initially studied computer engineering at Baja California University and then went back to pursuing singing. I think many people can relate to your story; the struggle to balance the wishes of ones parents with that of one’s own career goals. It takes a lot of courage to follow your dreams. What advice do you have for young artists?
ML: My advice for anyone is that you can't stop believing. It is so easy to be discouraged but life has a lot of tests. When you follow what you believe because you really are a 100% sure that it is your calling, life will get you where you have to be. There will be bad times, of course, but when you start seeing results you will feel like a million bucks!!!

EM: You took a five-hour trip from Mexico to San Diego State University to study music, twice a day for a year and a half. That’s dedication. Who or what has inspired you to keep going when it’s tough?
ML: Well. I have to thank Mary MacKenzie, the best teacher in the world!!!! There were times when I wanted to throw in the towel but she always talked to me in a way that made me realize that I had to be thankful of having a dream. I am very lucky to have her in my life. I can say that if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be a singer.

EM: Why didn’t you move to San Diego on a student visa? Did you face any obstacles to studying in California?
ML: I didn't move to SD because it was very expensive to live here on a Mexican budget. Our economies are very different and I couldn't work in the U.S. and to be honest I am very respectful of the laws and didn't want to work illegally. When my budget allowed, I moved to SD.

EM: San Diego is lucky to have you! How did you find out about the program at San Diego State University and what made you choose to go there?
ML: I have been working with Metropolitan opera singer, Mary MacKenzie, for over 8 years and she told me about SDSU program. She is a teacher in the SDSU School of Music. I have been in New York and Europe with other teachers, but she has been the best teacher that I have ever had, so the possibility of continuing to benefit from her knowledge made me realize that trying to audition at SDSU was the best choice for me.

EM: Of all the venues you’ve performed in, which is your favorite? Where would be your ultimate dream venue or event to perform?
ML: I have performed in many wonderful venues but performing in Qualcomm Hall [at the 2010 Next Star competition] was an exciting experience with Orchestra Nova.

EM: How long does it take you to prepare for a performance and what do you do to prepare?
ML: First of all, I read the music without hearing any recording of the piece, then I sing it to my teacher and coach and finally I check other interpretations but I still try to give my one performance. I just hear the recording to have a background. It takes around 3 months of study.

EM: Which is your favorite piece to sing and why?
ML: My favorite Opera is La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini and every time I sing it makes me feel I am alive. It totally transforms me to another world. La Boheme is such a down-to-earth opera because it talks about love and problems in real life. It simply makes you feel human.

EM: Do you want to be a full-time opera singer? What does this entail?
ML: Yes, I would love to be a full-time opera singer. It entails learning and practicing many things – languages, harmony, technique, theatre – and much discipline is required.

EM: What is your favorite thing about San Diego?
ML: I love SD – I don't know where to start. I love the richness of ethnicity and culture. I love the weather and the possibilities of growing as an artist. There is so much that you can do here. People have been so warm and kind and it makes me feel like a part of a family here in San Diego.

EM: Orchestra Nova’s Maestro Pak is something of a foodie. What is your favorite Mexican dish and what would you tell Jung-Ho to try if he was visiting Mexico City or your home town?
ML: Mexico is a very rich country with very different kinds of food. Everybody thinks Mexican food is only tacos but we have one of the largest varieties of dishes. I can say that if he went to Ensenada, I would take him to El Cid, a very wonderful restaurant that serves "Chiles en Nogada" and a "Nopal Cream Soup" – simply heaven.

Music should never be boring.

2011-01-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been bored at a classical music concert? Have you ever wondered why? Perhaps you thought the problem was yourself. Maybe you thought it was because you didn't understand classical music well enough. Or that it just isn’t for you. Or even that you aren't smart enough.

Let me tell you that it's definitely not you. Like that hit book on dating, He's Just Not That Into You, you need to realize that the problem is not Mozart nor your lack of understanding of his music, but rather the delivery – or in other words, the soloist. Too often, performers are absorbed in their own world of playing a difficult instrument or their own pleasure of music-making and rarely do they realize that the ONLY reason they perform is to move another human being; they are there to entertain an audience. An audience that has plunked down hard-earned money and left the comfort of their home to experience everything a live concert can give: joy, beauty, escape, enlightenment and the bond that comes from sharing the experience with others.

This is why we work so hard on stage at Orchestra Nova, and this is why we seek out artists like Lindsay Deutsch. We're trying to reverse the damaging stereotypes and stigma inflicted on classical music, often the result of those who do not know how to have fun. Lindsay is my kind of musician. She rips it up on stage and can make a recital seem like a sporting event. If you haven't seen Lindsay yet, click on this link.

Lindsay's playing a solo recital in San Diego on January 22nd at Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall, the best acoustic venue in San Diego County.

If you’ve never heard her live or if you've only heard her soloing with Orchestra Nova, you’ll want to be at this unique performance. She'll play several showpieces, including a special version for violin and piano of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. I promise it will be worth it, especially if you’ve been hungering for a classical music experience that doesn't leave you bored or regretful that you wasted your evening – Lindsay couldn’t bore you if she tried.

Jung-Ho Pak
Artistic Director and Conductor

Check out Lindsay's upcoming concert to benefit Orchestra Nova!

Handel's Messiah - Orchestra Nova Honors the Masterpiece

2010-12-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Ah, Messiah! The emotions it elicits are so varied and so wonderful. I grew up in a small town in Kansas and never heard it performed live until I was a part of a performance as a soprano in college. I remember the joy of singing “And the glory….” and the chills I felt as everyone stood when we sang “Hallelujah.” At the time, I didn’t realize that it had become a tradition for everyone to stand with the first note of “Hallelujah” because that’s what the King of England did the first time he heard it performed.

Orchestra Nova’s annual performance, with the fantastic Bach Collegium chorus, is truly one of the most memorable and wonderful experiences I’ve had with Messiah. I remember a very poignant moment during our performance at St. James by-the-Sea church in La Jolla last year. I had moved up to toward the front on an aisle to ask someone with a video camera to stop recording the performance because it was very disruptive to their neighbors and we have a strict policy against cameras because of our agreement with the musicians.

As everyone stood for “Hallelujah,” I saw a man, probably in his 50s, put his arm around the woman beside him and pull her close. She laid her head on his shoulders and tears rolled down both their faces as the chorus was sung. And right behind them was a family with two children, the parents with their arms around the children, all beaming with big wide smiles.

I thought – “this is what music is all about, especially this great music by Handel – it’s all about bringing beauty and joy into the lives of everyone.” This has been Jung-Ho Pak’s message from the very beginning: we’re here to bring beauty and joy into the lives of people from every walk of life.

This weekend’s three performances of Handel’s Messiah are guaranteed to do just that. I can’t wait!!

Beverly Lambert
Marketing Director and Interim Executive Director

Buy Tickets and See Performance Dates Here:
http://orchestranova.org/

Hip Hop Isn't Too Cool for Classical

2010-11-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

It all started when I decided to have flowers delivered to our fantastic graphic designer, Jennifer, for her birthday. I Googled for a nearby flower shop, checked out their web site and gave them a call. A very pleasant voice answered the phone and I placed my order and gave her the message I wanted on the card. I told her I wanted it signed, “Beverly and Jung-Ho.”

There was a pause, then, “Do you, by any chance, mean Jung-Ho Pak?” Surprised, I replied, “Yes, do you know him?” She responded that she and her son (who was playing for the San Diego Youth Symphony at the time) had attended concerts when Jung-Ho was the San Diego Symphony conductor and they absolutely loved going to his concerts.

It so happened that we had a concert that night at Qualcomm Hall, so I invited her and a friend to come as our guests. She enthusiastically accepted and brought her 12-year-old “hip-hop loving” daughter (who certainly didn’t think she liked classical music!) to the concert.

After the concert, we bumped into each other and she and her daughter were beaming. She gushed, “You are responsible for the smile on my daughter’s face. She loved the concert.” And that brought a big smile to my face! I’m hoping to see them both enjoying another “Nova experience” very soon!

Beverly Lambert
Interim Executive Director

Nova Performs with Paul Dateh's "Top 40 Mashup"

2010-10-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

Three violinists from Orchestra Nova accompanied hip-hop violinist Paul Dateh on his “Top 40 Mashup” video in front of an enthusiastic audience of over 600 attendees at the San Diego Asian Film Festival Gala Awards Dinner last weekend. Playing from original orchestrations created just for this event, Artistic Director Jung-Ho Pak conducted the piece from his Mac laptop under blue stage lights and the glow of two large video screens.

More great videos from Paul Dateh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Xt-XeWnHM&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr8p8DHXHfw&feature=channel

Check back on the San Diego Asian Film Festival website for more information on next year's events.

4ARTS Makes Date Night Affordable

2010-10-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we met with representatives from all of our 4ARTS partners to discuss our exciting new collaboration – four local arts organizations, from four different genres of art. The four partners are Orchestra Nova, Cygnet Theater, Malashock Dance and the Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA). The idea was conceived during a weekly Orchestra Nova staff meeting and, soon after, the other three groups came on board. We feel truly privileged to be joining forces with each of these organizations, all of whom are enriching San Diego culture with their unique presentations of art.

Currently, subscribers of any one of the 4ARTS partners, such as our Club Nova members (subscribers and donors of $100+), are allowed 2-for-1 admission to any of the other partners’ regular season concert, performance or museum exhibit. If you subscribe to one of us, you get benefits from all of us. It’s a community of art-love.

If yesterday’s meeting is any indication of what is to come, you will be seeing some amazing things from the four of us in the future. There’s a whole lot of creativity happening here.

Nova's Very Best? You be the judge.

2010-10-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Getting criticized by a critic is, well, par for the course when you're in the business of entertaining. There's a reason many artists, especially actors, don't read reviews of their performances - can't let that fluff get you down. But occasionally, when a review is just plain unfair, it warrants a response. After all, if a critic gets to put their opinion out there, then so should we.

But first, here's an article printed on SanDiego.com singing the praises of Orchestra Nova's season opener on Friday night, Mozart's Very Best:

http://www.sandiego.com/arts/orchestra-nova-opens-with-stylish-mozart

The original title of the Union Tribune (U-T) article written by newly-minted critic James Chute on Friday night titled "Entering The Nova World Proves A Painful Experience" was published not once, but twice, in both the Saturday and Sunday editions of the U-T! At least they toned it down for the online version on SignOnSanDiego.com to "Are You (Orchestra Nova) Experienced?"

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/15/orchestra-nova-san-diego-classical/

Another oddity is that the U-T has pulled a recent article with a positive tone - an interview with Jung-Ho written by Mr. Chute and published in the Night & Day section last Thursday. As of Saturday, it no longer exists online [Note: they put this article back up on Friday, October 22].

We chose to respond by sending a letter to the editor at the Union Tribune - we'll find out soon enough if they have the guts to publish it. All's fair in love and war...and, truly, no hard feelings toward Chute, but we just want to let the world know that we are so much more than meets the critic's eye.

Our letter to the Union Tribune:

http://www.orchestranova.org/orchestra_nova_gets_it_right.shtml

We have had an outpouring of support from our fans in the last week and we deeply appreciate all your kind words. Many of you said you also planned to write a letter to the editor and we would love it if you sent your letters to us as well (we won't publish anything without your consent): marketing@orchestranova.org

How was your experience at Mozart's Very Best? Please write your comments, suggestions and criticisms in the space provided below - we want to hear from you all!

Sincerely,

The Orchestra Nova Team

Take 5 for Music

2010-07-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Imagine 60,000 young people listening to classical music each day.

With the philosophy of "Every Child, Every Life" our goal is to bring classical music to every student in San Diego. Last year nearly 6,000 students in grades 3-6 participated in Music Memory: a fun, interactive curriculum that focuses on 16 pieces of music each year and concludes with a county-wide Music Bee. But with nearly 60,000 elementary students enrolled in the San Diego Unified School District, we have a lot of work to do!

"Take 5 for Music" is in the beta stage right now, having tested the program on 20 elementary schools this past spring. Take 5 provides five minutes of daily listening to great classical music masterpieces. You don't need to know how to play the clarinet to participate, students just need a good set of ears and a quiet listening environment. The music does all the rest.

Classrooms filled with Bach and Mozart each day? What a wonderful thing that would be.

Paige Satter
Artistic Administrator & Education/Outreach Coordinator

Notes from Interlochen

2010-07-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

I'm typing from a bucolic setting by the lake next to my cabin at Interlochen where I'm Director of Orchestras during the summer. After two weeks of young audiences screaming and cheering for Ives, Mozart and Respighi, it gives me pause to think, "if it can happen here, can it work in the commercial/professional world?" Of course, my belief is that it can.

The great thing about youth is that they don't have expectations. If you can present an experience that reflects the energy and imagination that they expect, they'll embrace just about anything...including classical music.

I think Nova is heading boldly in the right direction. It's a course that dares to accomplish the impossible. We actually believe that the general public can become excited over beautiful art if it's presented in a way that is as fresh and imaginative as anything they can find in the world of leisure and entertainment. Usually these two worlds seem at odds, but Mozart (and Verdi and others) understood how to blend these seemingly disparate tastes. We're just doing this for our own own generation!

Jung-Ho Pak

Artistic director and conductor

Summer Vacation for Orchestra Nova! Not!!

2010-07-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

The season has ended. So, you haven't heard much from Orchestra Nova for a month or so. No concerts in the summer - the staff must be enjoying life at the beach. Right? Wrong!!

Jung-Ho's been to South Korea for a conducting stint and he's spending the remainder of the summer at the world-renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan where he leads all orchestral activities. But I can attest to the fact that he's spending lots of creative thinking time about how we can make Orchestra Nova's next season the best ever - the e-mails and phone calls are flying across the miles!

Marketing is in full swing - the Inspire magazine, market research, new programs, etc. etc. - but what I want to mention today are the 520 completed surveys that our May concert guests returned to us. We were thrilled with the response rate of returns and with the high overall rating for "the Orchestra Nova experience" (4.5 average on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest). However, what we were most interested in were the fantastic suggestions we received for making it even better. We are holding weekly staff meetings to develop and implement actions plans to address issues and suggestions in the feedback. WE DO CARE!

We are planning to conduct focus groups in September to continue our market research - our first focus group will be with Young Professionals. If you're interested in participating, send me an e-mail at: marketing@orchestranova.org.

Stay tuned - you'll be hearing from other staff members about their activities.

And, I'll be sharing some stories with you as we go along too!

Check out our web site: www.orchestranova.org

Producing Unique Performances in Unique Spaces

2010-03-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to teach a class today at San Diego State on "Event Planning in Non-Traditional Spaces," a topic I have lectured on for several years now. Unlike a large symphony or theater company, Orchestra Nova does not have a "home." Instead, we are fortunate enough to have several: from low-tech churches to state-of-the-art concert halls.

For a production manager, presenting in different venues has its own set of opportunities and challenges. For example, at Qualcomm Hall I am fortunate enough to work with a professional stage crew of ten, operating the lighting, sound, video, and stage moves. We are able to use Jung-Ho's computer backstage and run a full video display during the concerts. There are plenty of dressing rooms, well-stocked refrigerators, and a backstage paging system. Oh yeah, and a 9-foot Steinway on site if we should need one. In contrast, when we perform at St. Paul's Cathedral, the lights are controlled by a breaker box in the hallway, several columns make it difficult to view video, and the musicians need to line up outside before they take the stage as space is limited. We also have to use music stand lights and a special light below Jung-Ho's podium so that the musicians can see his hands. The stage manager and I do the stage set up, any stage moves, and put the church back together at the end of the night.

We have gotten to know each venue intimately and we know what can be done in each space. I would urge our guests to try out the different venue...each experience is completely unique.

The more you know...

2010-03-03T15:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know about the for-profit world, but in the not-for-profit world there are lots and lots of opportunities for improving your knowledge and skills. In the sector there is a great deal of on-the-job training, but outside learning is always encouraged and appreciated. There are many aspects of working in the not-for-profit world that we don't know coming in - these are skills and talents that must be honed and improved over time and if you can take a class in it, all the better!
Right now I am taking a course through the Fieldstone Foundation - a great foundation in Southern California and Utah. The course series is called the Executive Learning Group and has a cadre of wonderful NPO leaders from around San Diego involved. Our sessions are lead by Tom Hall, former Executive Director of the Old Globe and a very talented administrator/consultant.
Some other opportunities for learning that I am pursuing are through the San Diego Foundation - at the end of March I hope to take a course through the Foundation on Corporate Partnerships and in April begin a six-month course in Development. I am so excited about the possibilities of continued learning so that I can better serve Orchestra Nova and our family of supporters.

A Post-Bach Reflection

2010-02-02T09:23:00.001-08:00

We plan our seasons a year in advance, so as we were creating an all-Bach program, I had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did. Last night we performed the final concert at Sherwood Auditorium and the musicians played wonderfully. Even with the challenge of holding their bows in a Baroque style (slightly higher up on the bow than usual), the sound that came off that stage was what makes Orchestra Nova who we are. The concert highlighted our own players, instead of bringing in guest artists, and as I watched from backstage, I was overwhelmed with pride for this organization and for the musicians that perform under the Orchestra Nova name. And I'm reminded that during this time of cash shortages and uncertainties, that the arts most definitely have a place in people's lives, hearts, and simply define who we are. And because of that, we plan for next season.

The end of the world (as we know it)

2010-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

It's a scary, yet quite telling time for orchestras these days. Last week, the New York Philharmonic posted its largest recorded deficit in its 168 year history. That's saying quite a bit, especially in the wake of the appointment of its young new music director, Alan Gilbert. In the same week, the Cleveland Orchestra's musicians made the unprecedented move of handing out leaflets to its audience prior to a concert in order to make a statement amidst contract negotiations. This, from one of the greatest and highly paid orchestras in the country.

What is happening? Essentially, our profession is struggling to catch up with the catastrophic economy and rapidly changing societal tastes with a dinosaur of an organizational paradigm. Despite unrivaled quality, audiences, donors and sponsors are either pulling back their focus on the arts and entertainment, and we are witnessing a possible cyclical or permanent cultural ice age for certain art forms. In some ways, it doesn't really matter which, for many arts institutions are increasingly being forced into oblivion on a daily basis all over the world. What is needed is a general revolution of presenting classical music in a way that the American public can embrace broadly; a new approach that accepts the arts as a business (at least in part) and the viewer as a consumer with limited time and resources, and then begin to ask the difficult question of whether we are truly in touch with the public we are supposedly serving in the first place.

Why do you work in the arts?!?

2010-01-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

I get that question when I talk to some of my friends from high school or college - why do you work in the arts? Why work in a nonprofit - especially now?

I think the answer is simple and universal to every member of our dedicated team: we work in the arts and in the nonprofit world because we love it. To be a part of the creative process, to contribute to something larger than yourself and to be a part of a cultural tradition that spans millennia - that is pretty cool.

It takes dedication to work in a world like this, especially at a time like this. We are lucky at Orchestra Nova to have a very dedicated staff team - people who genuinely believe in the art that we help create and who love serving the audiences who come. I know that sounds cliché, but talk to any of us and you’ll soon discover a passion that doesn’t exist in many other organizations.

So yeah, that is why I work in the arts, and that’s why I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work at Orchestra Nova.

And for our next trick...

2009-12-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

The moment you finish one concert, you are already focusing on the next one...or even further in the future.

Right now we are in the midst of planning for our 2010/2011 season, a process that takes about 6 months to put together. Season planning is one of those elements that is rarely ever seen beyond the administrative offices of an arts organization. When planning a season there are a whole host of issues that need to be taken into consideration. The scheduling calculus regarding the availability of venue, artists, what other arts organizations arts are doing, all of these are factors that require require a lot of flexibility and creativity.

Jung-Ho is putting together next season from an artistic point of view - pulling everything together from the programming side of things. We start with a white board with all our concert slots and then discuss them as a team, writing up every idea on post-it-notes and continuously refining. We are now looking multiple years in advance - all the way out to 2015! Attached is a photo of our current planning calendar - would you look at all those post-its!

West Coast vs. East Coast orchestra management - is there a difference?

2009-12-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Jung-Ho Pak serves as artistic director for both Orchestra Nova San Diego and the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra (as well as several other groups around the country - he's a very busy guy.) Tomorrow, I'll be leaving sunny So Cal and traveling to the Cape to attend CCSO's holiday concerts, meet my artistic and education colleagues, and see what it's like to manage an orchestra more than twice our size in a city one fifth the size of San Diego. I'll get the chance to watch performances from backstage and from the audience (a rarity for me), chat with musicians, and watch Jung-Ho with his "other family."

We're in a pretty unique situation - having a sister orchestra 3,000 miles away that we can cross-train, cross-market, and share resources (guest artists, music) and ideas with. Granted, putting on a concert is fairly universal. But who attends, why they donate, and the overall Cape Cod culture is what I'm looking forward to seeing. At least there's no snow in the forecast...

Applause or not?

2009-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Recently, we've been experiencing more applause in between movements of a symphony or concerto, and while that's been frowned upon by long time classical music audiences, it's undeniably a result of us attracting new audiences. So ensues the heated debate between those who believe a symphony is a sacred musical experience that should not be disrupted vs. those who think that if a movement is played well, it should be acknowledged with approval. Another way to look at this is the desire for the experienced wanting to educate the newcomers.

One illuminating detail to this discussion is the actual history of applause. Throughout most of classical music history, applause between movements was accepted and even welcomed with delight by composers, including the most famous like Mozart and Beethoven. If the applause was great enough, the audiences were treated to a an encore performance of the movement. In an era without a recording device or replay button, this was indeed a gift by the performers. To read a fascinating perspective, read this description by a noted critic from the New Yorker magazine: http://www.therestisnoise.com/2005/02/applause_a_rest.html It also strikes me as very funny that those who do not advocate applauding between movements, feel very strongly that one is equally "in the know" when applauding after a beautiful aria in an opera. This seems most contradictory as an opera is even more a continual dramatic thread and suspension of reality that is broken with applause.

One of the most negative reasons newcomers state why they don't attend classical concerts is the intimidating and sterile environment they find there. The last thing they want to hear is how they are to express their enjoyment of the music. For Orchestra Nova, we're also breaking the rules on how we are "supposed" to express joy on stage. We strive for real emotion, so we hope to get the same from our audiences.

It's clear orchestras around the country are struggling to gain relevance for an increasingly non-Euro centric and uninitiated culture. Nova been successful in bringing in a broader demographic, and our regular audiences seem to be very understanding that the spontaneous applause is perhaps a good thing overall.

We're going to need more shelves...

2009-10-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

The other day, Paige let me know that she and Ryan - the orchestra's librarian - had secured a huge donation of music for our library. Orchestra Nova would be receiving 20 bankers’ boxes of music, from full symphonies and ballets to operas and a bunch of full scores. For any orchestra this is a fantastic gift and we were over the moon.
The only hitch is that we now needed some place to store all of these pieces and our storage room doesn't have enough room on our bookshelves (already bursting at capacity with our current library). We turned to our fantastic horn player John Lorge who, in addition to being an excellent musician, is also a carpenter. John gave us a quote on new shelves that was very friendly, but we still needed to come up with the money (we have a policy of not spending money on anything that isn't already budgeted).
A very generous volunteer and supporter said she would donate half the cost if we were able to come up with the rest. At our Board meeting on Monday evening, I raised this issue and how we needed some extra funds to pay for this project and quickly seven folks at the meeting (two staff members and five board members) each donated for the shelves.
This is the power of giving in any amount - you can effect real change, really fast. Eight generous folks donated towards our shelves, and so next year we will be able to choose pieces from our expanded library for our performances - saving us money and using this great resource. I'm always gladdened when a generous donor gives anything at all to the orchestra, because it will always be appreciated and ALWAYS be used.

2009-10-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

After about an hour of rummaging through a thesaurus on a wild goose chase for the perfect way to describe our orchestra and my experience here thus far, I realized there is only one way to put it; one of a kind. Playing classical music with several youth symphony orchestras led me to believe that I knew what an orchestra was. Boy was I wrong. No cummerbunds or bow ties here, folks!

I am now beginning my second season with Orchestra Nova, where I get to talk to audience members, help to promote the orchestra, sell tickets at each of our venues and a whole lot more. My responsibilities on and off of concert nights are varied, never dull, and always a learning experience. I consider myself very lucky to have a job I can honestly say that I love.

P.S. no picture necessary, I am on the bottom of the page with the vacuum.

Name that Tune

2009-09-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine sitting on your couch watching a rerun of Apocalypse Now. All of a sudden you hear Ride of the Valkyries (remember "Kill the Wabbit"??). If you knew the name of the piece and that it was composed by Richard Wagner, then you're as smart as a fifth grader.

Music Memory, Orchestra Nova's listening-based music education program, continues to grow. Kids in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 are learning 16 pieces of classical music each year and it's EASY! Just this week, we signed up schools in La Mesa and National City - bringing our count to 25 schools and 27 awesome teachers throughout San Diego County.

All year, kids will be learning the music and getting ready for the May 20th County-wide competition. Yes, classical music is cool again.

Jung-Ho's First Nova Blog Entry

2009-09-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome everyone to the debut or the Orchestra Nova blog! We're definitely breaking new ground for an orchestra conductor communicating with an audience and fans in such a direct and informal way. I would like to invite you to express your thoughts and ideas about our concert "experiences" and website, or feel free to ask questions about classical music in general or about the revolutionary vision for our wonderful orchestra. We are your orchestra; we are an orchestra of joy and imagination; we are Orchestra Nova San Diego.

Meanwhile, we're having a whale of a good time with our opening Mozart concerts along with our soloist Lindsay Deutsch. Let us know what you think!

Jung-Ho

So what do you play?

2009-09-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Whenever I am introduced to new people outside of the Orchestra Nova world and I tell them who I am and what I do, they invariably ask: "So what do you play?" - assuming that I am a member of the actual orchestra.
I am always flattered when folks ask me this - but alas, I am not one of our very talented musicians - rather, I am an administrator. I handle legal and financial issues for the orchestra as well as working with our incredible team in the office to produce the concerts, plan the seasons and raise the money to keep everything humming around here. It is a very challenging but rewarding gig and one that I enjoy very, very much. It is exciting to go to one of our concerts and listen to the beautiful music and know that I was a part of helping get that on stage.

So, when folks ask me what I play, I say the check book.

The INTERNal

2009-09-03T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone of the Orchestra Nova community!

I am Chad and I am the current Marketing Intern for Orchestra Nova San Diego. I have had the fantastic opportunity to work with the Orchestra Nova team and especially the incredible Beverly Lambert.

I have learned a lot from working here and I have, hopefully, made a positive impact for the entire organization. I did manage to make this blog. I think that's an accomplishment. Likewise, I hope to hear from some of the other members of the Nova community.

With that. I am currently working on editing down a movie for Orchestra Nova and when it is finished I will post it on our blog and other websites!

Take care.

Chad - The Intern

2009-08-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Wow! After nine months of "behind-the-scenes" glimpses of scenarios with guests, staff, musicians and board members, setting up cameras for videotaping concerts, getting the lighting just right - all of the things that go into producing a documetary - we have given birth to our brand new documentary, "Orchestra Nova: Celebrations," produced by the truly professional (and fantastic!) UCSD-TV team, led by John Menier, Producer.

Part of our agreement with UCSD-TV was that we wouldn't have editorial rights - so we held our breath - set up all of the interviews, gave them access backstage during concerts, to staff meetings and to all of the "behind-the-scenes" activities that go into producing our "extraordinary experiences" - and hoped for the best!I invite you to decide if it was worth the effort.

Check it out. http://www.ucsd.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=15100 and let us know what you think.

Why a New Venue?

2009-07-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

As a new blogger for Orchestra Nova, I wanted to start things off with a bang and discuss a very popular question these days: "Why a new venue?"

Moving to the Irwin Jacobs Qualcomm Concert Hall in Sorrento Valley is very exciting and momentous for many reasons.

This is one of most perfect concert halls in the world. If we were to custom design a home for us, we couldn't ask for a more sophisticated and exquisite setting. It was acoustically designed for an ensemble exactly like ours, and it is also one of the most comfortable venues for both the artist and audience.

I remember getting calls from some of our musicians who performed in the hall during its first year, and their reviews were ecstatic. Our expectation is that this high-tech and state-of-the-art facility will become integral to our image as a cutting-edge and hip orchestra for the next generation. You have to see (and hear) it to believe it. All of this, and parking is free!

We're so curious about what you think about this move and about the hall – but you may want to experience Nova in its inaugural season there first. Our first concert is Saturday, September 11. Let us hear from you!

Double Duty for Stella

2009-07-27T00:42:00.001-07:00

A most valuable employee – Stella Karl – our administrative assistant takes a turn with the vacuum cleaner.

Season Planning

2009-07-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Planning the 2009-2010 season is well underway. As Artistic Administrator/Production Manager, my job at Orchestra Nova is to coordinate the many different components of the concert experience; from working with the librarian to order the music, to working with our personnel manager to make sure the correct size orchestra is hired, to working with the executive director to create realistic and manageable budgets, and finally to working with Jung-Ho Pak to create exciting production components for each concert, each experience.

So far, we have secured all of the venues for the season and the music is being ordered. Also, the musician contracts have been sent out, as well as those for our many guest artists. The other day I was asked to write an article about four of our players who are celebrating their 20 year anniversaries. There is still much planning that needs to happen and each day brings with it a fresh to-do list and the opportunity to make this upcoming season even better than the previous one.

I love being a production manager. I have an "all-access pass" which allows me to be intimately involved in the creative process from attending rehearsals to working closely with our talented musicians. There is nothing more exciting than the buzz that goes on backstage just before the concert begins and the lights go down and I send Jung-Ho out to begin an evening of magic.

Welcome!

2009-07-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

A major focus for Orchestra Nova this season is CONNECTION. A connection between friends, fans, guests, musicians, Maestro Pak, our staff and anyone else interested in becoming part of our network.

This blog is just one of the many ways we’re hoping we can maximize that connection with you. We invite you to join us regularly and to become an active participant through your comments.

You will be reading blogs on a regular basis from me and other staff members as well as from Maestro Jung-Ho Pak and our musicians – some behind-the-scenes information that you won’t hear about from any other source or will hear about first here. So check us out regularly – and let us hear from you.

Our iNOVA Connection is up and running!