Posts Tagged ‘music’

Redesigning The Arts

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

“In 1993, a group of prominent orchestra administrators issued a report predicting the obvious: doom and destruction unless the nation’s symphonies radically changed the way they did business. In the future, according to ‘Americanizing the American Orchestra,’ orchestras would have to consider ‘collaborative efforts with other art forms, interactive audience projects, the use and adaptation of technology, and other departures from business as usual.’

It was a badly written, sanctimonious, controversial document, and most American orchestras simply ignored it. To the extent that they adopted any of its recommendations, orchestras did so halfheartedly, amateurishly and without real faith in the underlying premise: that audiences craved a new kind of concert, updated for the 20th century. ”

What do you think?

Would you be more interested in visiting the symphony if it incorporated more modern design and technology? As a patron of the arts, would you think this was a good investment? What would you do to improve classical music?

iTunes Invades the Internet

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

iTunes became the mp3 champion of the world by curbing illegal downloads while still allowing customers to “own” their purchased music files, but now the company is considering an entirely different model based on paid access, not ownership.

  • Apple is planning to extend its mp3-selling business beyond its popular iTunes music store, which keeps purchased music files saved on a single computer.
  • Having just absorbed lala.com, which allows users to purchase music that is stored remotely and accessible anywhere there’s Internet, Apple is considering a web-based mp3 storage model that will have a significant impact on the industry.
  • Making music purchases available outside of the iTunes program will allow the company to reach more customers through search engines and websites.

Facts & Figures

  • Apple paid $85 million to acquire LaLa Media Inc.
  • Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was the biggest supplier of music until last year, when Apple usurped it.
  • iTunes forecasts revenues of $2 billion this year.