ViolaTribe

Archive for May, 2009

I have recently been involved with pushing Congress to extend radio airplay royalties to performers.  Please check out http://musicfirstcoaltion.org for a great overview of this important proposed legislation.  It is extremely important that all musicians and performers support each other.  All of the arts overlap and establishing rights for one group will give a foundation for others’ needs.

Not interested in pop music on the radio?  It doesn’t matter!!  This is an opportunity to help out your fellow musicians-  we promise to help you when you need it!

Did you know that artists and performers do not get paid for the broadcast of their music that is played on the  radio?  The songwriters and publishers do get paid, but the artists who bring life to the music get nothing!  Furthermore, while this is the case in the USA, it is not the case in most of the rest of the world!!  That’s right.  In the UK for example, a small percentage of radio broadcasters’ profits (from advertisers) goes into a fund that is distributed between the record label, the artist and the background musicians.  They even withhold money that would be coming to US artists, if our legislators would commit to reciprocal agreements!!  So, we not only don’t get paid in the US, but our money from Europe is held hostage. 

Please, go to the Musicfirst website and use the links to tell your congressmen and women to support musicians by passing this legislation.  Legislators only want to hear from their own district, so we need help across the country!  Broadcasters have a lobby across the country….Recording musicians are concentrated in just a few areas across the country and therefore have less lobbying power in the rest of the country.  That is why it is especially important for non-recording musicians to lend their support NOW!

My friend Roger Weismeyer is a wonderful person.  No, he is not a violist, but he does play the oboe and english horn and he is a really nice guy, so we’ll give him a pass.  Roger helped out with the one Granados song that had english horn. (transcription the song for vla/ pno/eng. hn is available at http://www.violasound.com)   Roger is noteworthy because, no matter how many concerts and gigs he plays through “work” as a symphonic musician, he is always organizing more concerts in celebration of a specific composer or cause.

Tomorrow I am playing Brahms Serenade No. 2 (winds, violas, celli and bass…no violins) with Roger all in an effort to save a rare urban old growth  forrest in Nashville.  So once again, the people (artists) who are so dependent on the generosity of others’ donations to their arts organizations are generously giving up their Sunday afternoon, being philanthropists, themselves. .. giving to the community. All made easy by Roger…inspiring all of us to do more.

Here’s the recipe:

Find a worthy cause and connect.

Look for a fine mix of like-minded musicians.  You can use old music or new, just use the best quality available.

Ask the organization to advertise.  It doesn’t hurt to post a few flyers at the local cafe.

Have a rehearsal and practice, as needed.

Sell tickets or pass the collection plate.

When things are in place, collect the audience and enjoy the performance!

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Marc Broussard tune- I played viola in a small string section with great arrangements by Calvin Turner…at Ocean Way Nashville…contracted by David Davidson.

Link to transcription using just the file name as the link.

Granados song arr. by Monisa Angell viola, Melissa Rose, piano…

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