Matching Items (2)
Filtering by

Clear all filters

152264-Thumbnail Image.png

Community-based chamber ensembles: how to build a career that infuses performance with public service

Description
In order to cope with the decreasing availability of symphony jobs and collegiate faculty positions, many musicians are starting to pursue less traditional career paths. Also, to combat declining audiences, musicians are exploring ways to cultivate new and enthusiastic listeners through relevant and engaging performances. Due to these challenges, many…

In order to cope with the decreasing availability of symphony jobs and collegiate faculty positions, many musicians are starting to pursue less traditional career paths. Also, to combat declining audiences, musicians are exploring ways to cultivate new and enthusiastic listeners through relevant and engaging performances. Due to these challenges, many community-based chamber music ensembles have been formed throughout the United States. These groups not only focus on performing classical music, but serve the needs of their communities as well. The problem, however, is that many musicians have not learned the business skills necessary to create these career opportunities. In this document I discuss the steps ensembles must take to develop sustainable careers. I first analyze how groups build a strong foundation through getting to know their communities and creating core values. I then discuss branding and marketing so ensembles can develop a public image and learn how to publicize themselves. This is followed by an investigation of how ensembles make and organize their money. I then examine the ways groups ensure long-lasting relationships with their communities and within the ensemble. I end by presenting three case studies of professional ensembles to show how groups create and maintain successful careers. Ensembles must develop entrepreneurship skills in addition to cultivating their artistry. These business concepts are crucial to the longevity of chamber groups. Through interviews of successful ensemble members and my own personal experiences in the Tetra String Quartet, I provide a guide for musicians to use when creating a community-based ensemble.
ContributorsDalbey, Jenna (Author) / Landschoot, Thomas (Thesis advisor) / McLin, Katherine (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell (Committee member) / Solis, Theodore (Committee member) / Spring, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
157236-Thumbnail Image.png

Uneasy provenances: exhibiting, collecting, and dealing in the Nazi era

Description
During the Nazi era, which is historically regarded as lasting from 1933-1945, the National Socialists both looted and made “legal” confiscations of art and artifacts they deemed “degenerate” from museums throughout occupied Europe. The art they seized was sold abroad in exchange for foreign currency that not only funded their…

During the Nazi era, which is historically regarded as lasting from 1933-1945, the National Socialists both looted and made “legal” confiscations of art and artifacts they deemed “degenerate” from museums throughout occupied Europe. The art they seized was sold abroad in exchange for foreign currency that not only funded their war efforts, but also allowed for purchases of art for Hitler’s un-realized Führermuseum in Linz, Austria. The rapid transfer of objects flooded the art market, making this period one of the most prosperous times for collectors and dealers. However, due to the overall hasty nature of the displacements, the ownership history, or provenance, of the works became extremely convoluted. Institutions in the United States, as well as individual collectors, began to buy pieces, unaware of their provenance. Without this knowledge as a good-faith purchaser, many institutions never delved deeper into the background of the objects and the works remained in their collections until the present day. In this thesis, I argue that provenance research can shape a museum’s history through changing the relationship it has with its permanent collection. Insight into the ownership history of the collection must be made a priority in order for museums to remain transparent with their visitors, thus allowing for perceived notions of exclusivity, or distrust, to be eliminated. I researched two institutions, the Kunstmuseum Bern and the Krannert Art Museum, which recently examined their own holdings for incomplete attributions, with one establishment conducting a study after it became enmeshed in public scrutiny generated by a controversial bequest. Lastly, I employ both art historical scholarship and legal resources to investigate how provenance can be more widely used as a valuable asset in an increasingly globalized society.
ContributorsSmiley, Meghan (Author) / Fahlman, Betsy (Thesis advisor) / Codell, Julie (Committee member) / Afanador-Pujol, Angélica (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019