I've enjoyed reading all the entries and the comments, and especially the forum itself. It's so clear that there is a great deal of artistic commitment here, as well as good minds to carry out bold ideas.
Before arriving at the forum, i was somewhat apprehensive, thinking about the sheer size of the task at hand. What if all these numbers of highly sophisticated people didn't wish to kick off their shoes, imagine themselves kids and just. . . well, you know. . . fill in that blank page? it's true, I've worked with close to a thousand kids individually over the years, including many adults, but this! Such a large number, such imposing leaders in our field, so little time.
But the results, as you know, were overwhelming - even to me. The fact that every person there poured out her/his mind and soul, was able to communicate to the musicians, and that these musicians themselves were so eager to participate in this process. . . it certainly gives me renewed faith in the creative act and in the continued flexibility of the Orchestra. I know that Tom and Ed reported similar vitality in their presentations.
It can work, I know it can! The orchestra can belong to its people. Notice I in no way gave any of you a "composition lesson." It was you who gave us the directions. Yes, you had at your disposal as one person put it: "a rather expensive toy." Five professional musicians ready to do your bidding. Yes, it is labor intensive. But doing it one on one, modeling the idea individual by individual will get the job done. All I know is (as I commented elsewhere in this blog) I have a growing number of professional composers who are eager to do this work and many musicians who love to do this kind of interaction. Did you notice how wide-eyed and smiling the Cleveland Orch musicians were, even after three long sessions of concentrated work?
I will always value the compositions you pulled out of the air, out of yourselves and showed to us. You saw me (and others!) admiring them, masking-taped up on the wall there. Maureen and Kelly Obenauer did document them. No, not all of you will want them exhibited or performed again and that's normal, and it's not even the point. The point to me is the beauty and the force of energy that that wall of pieces represents and celebrates. Celebrates! That's the word.
Maybe I don't know everything about solving the Symphony Orchestra's problems, but I do know that we have a lot of celebrating to do.