Chamber Music America NYC 2011

Here's some more hard earned info for self-promoting musicians - musicians and musical groups who want to tour - as compiled by a fellow traveler now living in New York City.

The Chamber Music America Conference http://www.chamber-music.org/events/ happened January 13-16 here in New York. In some ways it was energizing and in some other ways it was enervating. I put up my usual booth, here depicted at the Midwest Arts Conference:

First, the energizing part: showcase performances by wonderful musicians. CMA showcases are juried affairs - 80 submissions and 20 approved showcases. I'll particularly mention the
Fifth House Ensemble from Chicago http://www.fifth-house.com/index2.php#/home/,
Duo Concertante from Canada http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/05/02/arts-awards.html, and the
Prism Saxophone Quartet http://prismquartet.com/ from just about everywhere.

And the enervating part: at CMA perhaps 60 booths compared to almost 1000 at APAP. We're talking here about the comparison between the moribund scene that is classical chamber music and the energized arts scene that is happening everywhere else.

That's not to say that APAP didn't present classical chamber music, it did. But all the shows at APAP were at least in part about ENTERTAINMENT. It seems to me, having played innumerable family style and outreach style classical concerts, that traditional classical concerts are about EDUCATING the audience to appreciate the music of a bygone era.

For me, ENTERTAINMENT wins hands down over EDUCATION. My advice: CMA is a great place to meet some great musicians, but it is unlikely on its own to get you any gigs.

CMA (and APAP) happen at the wrong time of year to effectively sell a touring show. Presenters start thinking about next year's line-up at least a year and a half ahead of time. In September they may (or may not) go to a Trade Conference like Arts MIdwest. In October they are filling in their rosters.
If they attend the January conferences, it's merely to reinforce what they have already decided on or perhaps to fill in a lingering slot in their schedule.

The above analysis of the conference scene is courtesy of Manuel Prestamo of Peformance Management International http://www.pmiarts.com/

Dr. Prestamo says much of booking is still done simply because someone knows someone and has known that someone for a long time. Now that's not only enervating but downright discouraging. Maybe I'll just pack up my booth and cry (or is that die?).