1 Feb 2016

Artistic director, the meaning of trying to be an

The rehearsals have begun in earnest and a lot of things are happening. Fast. Having appointed myself "artistic director" I think now's the time to look at that title and the things it entails more closely.

Artistic director sounds like an important person who does big, important things. Looks down from majestic heights upon common singers and musicians alike. Not really true, that. In reality I'm more like the janitor of this project: doing the bits and pieces that need doing, so others can make art happen. Of course I'm also the pianist of this extravaganza, but for me that's the easy part.

Being a janitor includes things like the poster (designing, creating, and printing it and spreading it around); program notes (what's in them, what's the layout like); being the contact person for press; being the contact person for everyone else; rehearsals (finding out schedules from 9 people, finding common times, booking rooms); the score (helping the composer edit, copying it, binding it); making sure everyone's informed about everything;... The list goes on.

Confession:
As a janitor, I feel perfectly uncertain - I stress, worry, and occasionally panic. But someone needs to do that, too; and it's good that only one person out of thirteen concerns themselves with the panicking business.

However, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if you ever consider doing something like this yourself, I strongly recommend you make a list first about all the little details that will need doing. Not just the performance, but the tiny details that someone will have to take responsibility of. Then understand that all of those take more time than expected and they can go wrong. Accept that. Accept that there also are many things that you don't yet know you will have to take care of, and they can go wrong, too.

But delegation is the new black: I get plenty of help from this wonderful group (and from an irreplaceable, fabulously helpful significant other). Doing everything alone and dying under the pressure maybe misses the mark.

These are the ramblings of a self-appointed artistic director, who's probably having a power high ;)

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