Comments

Are there hidden meanings to "Ethnic Diversity and Utopian Riparian Zones?" (some restrictions may apply) Last I heard, Meryl Streep was having a difficult time finding decent movie roles.

I think the youth-obsessed, "sex sells" marketing ploys in Classical Music are just part of our American society. It is nothing new, and it is not going away anytime soon. (I personally would rather listen to Starker then someone like Orfa Harnoy).

The only middle aged female violin soloist to pass through these parts in recent years is Miriam Fried. Not that we are the Cultural Center Of The Universe...

Many musicians have trouble keeping their chops strong up to the age of sixty. One of the hardest things in the world to do is to keep a career sustained so long, like Starker, or Milstein, or Serkin, etc.

Also, if you are going to be playing a lot of viola, get used to Clarke. And Hindemith.

Today's marketing is so boring, thoughtless, and predictable. It's boring, thoughtless, predictable, and plasticy. Karen, i agree. For me too, sexuality is only a small part of things that bother me.

Ihnsouk

Karen, i agree. For me too, sexuality is only a small part of things that bother me.

Ihnsouk

We have McCarty's CDs as well-- she's wonderful. FYI, she reads this board. We heard from her privately once when we posted a question and learned from her that she was coming to a (under-advertised) Viola Society concert in our city. There were only a dozen people in the audience of that fantastic recital. Elizabeth - Does Philadelphia have a viola society? Isn't that nice?

Karen - I saw the pictures in the links of McCarty. They remind me of Hilary Hahn's transformation.

Ihnsouk

Ihnsouk,
Yes, Philadelphia has a viola society. Mc Carty is a middle-aged woman who seems more engaged in her art and vocation than in her marketing image. But, in my opinion, classical musicians need to fight against marginalization in the marketplace. I was dismayed at the poor showing at McCarty's recital-- almost no audience at all, and for a major artist (no viola jokes, please.) I don't think Boston has a viola society, but we do have the Rebecca Clarke Society: http://www.rebeccaclarke.org (I joined).

Since starting to play the viola, I admit I like how overall the viola community is generally more down-to-earth, less showy and seemingly more approachable than many (not all) violinists. I like how one can scratch the surface and find music one has never heard of, lesser-known composers, forgotten concertos researched and brought back by someone who cares. My experience has not been, so far, that the viola repertoire is as limited as everyone says it is. I had already decided back in the winter that I wanted to learn the rest of the Bach cello suites (I've done most of #1, but that's only on my own) and Anton Stamitz's viola concerto in D, and now I want to add Clarke's viola sonata. That'll probably keep me busy for the next 5-10 years, at least! (I have a passing acquaintance with Hindemith and so far haven't acquired a taste for his music--but who knows, stranger things have happened!)

Elizabeth, that is such a shame that so few came to McCarty's concert! She is local, so I should be on the lookout for opportunities to hear her in the Boston area. And she teaches at the Longy school . . . not far at all from where I live. It would be *so amazing* to take lessons from her, but I'm feeling too intimidated (and too time-poor) to pursue it. I wouldn't want to waste her time if I couldn't practice at least an hour a day, and I'm only averaging 30-45 minutes a day, sometimes less :(

And I agree, classical musicians do need to fight against marginalization in the marketplace. But in general I think there have to be more creative marketing strategies, even for classical music, than the creation of a glamorous persona harkening back to some nebulous golden age. We have to be of the future as well as of the past, no matter what our chronological age is.