THE FUTURE OF MUSIC, DANCE, AND THEATER WILL BE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PAST

THE FUTURE OF MUSIC, DANCE, AND THEATER WILL BE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PAST An op-ed on where the performing arts are headed by Panos Panay, Vice President for Innovation and Strategy

The performing and visual art worlds are undergoing a seismic shift: Who is considered a creator? How is art created? Who will pay to see it? What is considered art? How is it experienced? Where is it enjoyed? And, ultimately, how is it funded and sustained?

New technologies, such as smartphones and social media, are democratizing the creation of art—photography, music, film, and so on—and helping artists reach new audiences and funders with unprecedented efficiency. At the same time, artists are flipping traditional methods of consuming art and entertainment on its head, which is in turn affecting revenue streams.

These changes have created an environment where content creation and distribution are highly accessible, enabling anyone to be a visible, revenue-earning artist. If everyone can make it, is it art? Is it valuable? Can one distinguish good from bad? Are we regressing to the lowest common denominator? Will there be room for arts professionals in a world of amateur performers?

Being an inherent optimist, my view is that—while undergoing a profound transformation in all the ways described above—we are at the beginning of a new era, akin to the artistic transformation experienced during the Renaissance and the mid-20th century. This “creative voice supernova” is, at its core, driven by both technological and social motivations.

The 1440 invention of the printing press eventually gave rise to a whole new class of educated citizens. This contributed to an increase in demand and a newfound respect for art, leading to new platforms for creation, promotion, distribution, and monetization of artistic content.

Following World War II, the use of electricity for distributing art was expanded upon: the gramophone, sound amplification devices, photography, film, radio, and television allowed art forms to flourish once more—this time, across much of the world and through the rising American middle class.

Looking at this cyclical path—societal shifts, subsequent invention, and its use in artistic expression—one can’t help but look at current events across the globe and feel that we are on the precipice of a new, artistically important era. The technologies that have and will be enabled by the internet and global connectivity will arguably be an even bigger catalyst for artistic expression and creation than any of the earlier technologies combined.

We tend to forget that all art ever created has always been a product of the available technology of the day. In fact, the word technology shares the same root as the Greek word for art, techni, and translates as “the science/deep knowledge of art.”

Since technologists and artists of the ancient Greeks worked together to invent the accoustical marvel called the amphitheater, the way that the modern performing arts of dance, music, and theater have been presented and consumed has evolved. Think of how the invention of electricity, television, radio, or vinyl records helped spread across the world the music of Mozart, the plays of Shakespeare, the movements of Baryshnikov, or the voice of Maria Callas. Now, multiply that force 100 times.

THE CHANGING ARTS PATRON

In this sea change, we must also consider

the arts patron. Going against conventional wisdom, I believe that the less concentration of arts patronage we have, the better. It is important that governments, foundations, organizations, and wealthy individuals support the arts and art education, but one has to ask—to what extent does that patronage come with embedded bias, unintended (or sometimes intended) censorship, or the exercise of certain editorial oversight that leads to suppression of originality or the spread of creative homogeneity?

For example, if most of arts funding comes from a government, what happens when that same government is not tolerant of artists who are perceived as threats? Or, what happens to our cultural landscape when most arts funding comes from one like-minded group of people? Who is it excluding?

We are currently experiencing the de-evolution—or at least the complete reconstituting—of the

traditional entry points that have served as discovery, funding, promotion, and distribution platforms for art. As revenue models are changing and consumers are getting their entertainment in completely different ways and for completely different price points, many of the institutions built around these traditional entry points are either shrinking or disappearing.

This is a tough transition, but my belief is that, in the long term, this will give rise to artists that are able to connect more authentically with their audiences; funding models that are more sustainable; artists that are freer in their ability to express themselves;

art that is more

approachable and impactful for more people; and artistic communities that are more entrepreneurial, globally minded, and self-sustaining.

After all, isn’t the role of art and artists to speak for and to the communities to which they belong? To transcend boundaries, connect,

and express the highest hopes and deepest fears of the societies in which they are a citizen? What happens to artistic expression when there are too many barriers between artist and audience?

THE NEW MINDSET OF AN ARTIST

All of these changes and opportunities are creating the need for a whole new approach and mindset for artists to be culturally impactful, artistically relevant, and successful. Anyone aspiring to be a musician, dancer, or actor in today’s world has to develop a keen awareness of new technologies, a mindset of entrepreneurialism, and the mentality of a free agent (emphasis here on the word free).

The safety nets of the 20th century are gradually giving way to the ambiguity of the 21st century. Technology has enabled a whole new means of creative expression, a more liberated artistic class with a wider reach, and socially engaged performers and creators that connect with (and get paid by) audiences with an immediacy that artists would have never dreamt of just 30 years ago.

New technologies, including projection mapping, adaptive sound design, responsive environments, virtual and augmented realities, connected devices, sensors, cloud computing (the cloud that makes crowdfunding or live streaming possible), and artificial intelligence will have as profound an impact on artistic expression and audience immersion as sound recording, theater acoustics, amplification, television, lighting, or the printing press had on the way we make, monetize, and experience art.

Think of how much more cost efficient it is to record a musical piece today and what it means for a young musician looking for a way

to connect with an audience. Now envision going to a dance performance in which the scenery automatically adjusts to the movements of the performer or the sound of the crowd, creating a magical interplay between audience, dancer, and venue that leaves everyone in a trance. Or consider a theater performance in a small black box theater where, with the aid of inexpensive projection mapping technology, likely beamed from something as little as a smartphone, a new theater company can stage plays that are more realistic and more immersive than a multi-million dollar movie. Or a digital tip jar that enables artists to get paid based on the level of applause, all without anyone swiping a credit card.

Science fiction, you say? So were concepts such as the car, apartment sharing, or hosting music and movies in a digital “cloud.”

THE AWESOME POSSIBILITIES AHEAD

There is something very special and artistically important brewing with the merger of the Boston Conservatory and Berklee.

Let’s start with the fact that these two institutions have innovation hardcoded in their DNA: the Conservatory was the first of its kind in the country, Berklee College of Music was founded on the unconventional idea of teaching contemporary music instead of the classics (opposites attract). Now let’s add that both of these institutions are located in a city (Boston) that recruits the world’s top minds in science, politics, technology, business, medicine, law, architecture, and, of course, dance, music, theater, communications, and media—all of which blend in an alchemy of combustible creative energy that’s concentrated in an area of about 25 square miles. I can hardly think of a riper ecosystem for the imagination and creation of the future of dance, music, and theater than what we have here on our campus. Where else do you blend such diverse cultural experiences (students from more than 100 countries); disciplines (dance, music, theater, technology), genres (you name it) or access to expertise and entrepreneurialism?

The magic is already happening. Every day on my way to work, I see actors in their costumes, dancers in their dance shoes, musicians with their electric guitars on their backs or MIDI rigs in their hands, speeding about to their classes. I attend meetings with faculty, chairs, deans, and administrators who are working together to build shared curricula and new programs and courses that build on the new shared identity and possibilities of the unified institution.

So, if you want to get a glimpse of the future of dance, music, or theater, all you have to look for is what is already happening here on campus—it’s the future that we are creating together.

Panos Panay is the Vice President for Innovation and Strategy at Berklee and founder and former CEO of Sonicbids. Read more about Panay at berklee.edu/people/panos-panay

Opera COSÌ FAN TUTTE February 8–11 In this sparkling comedy, lessons in love are learned, unrealistic expectations are shattered, and everyone comes out a little wiser. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Conducted by Timothy Steele. Directed by Johnathon Pape. 8:00 p.m., Thursday–Saturday 3:00 p.m., Sunday* Boston Conservatory Theater *Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, Massachusetts, $. For tickets to Sunday’s performance call the Shalin Liu Performance Center’s Box Office at 978-546-7391.

Theater DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS March 8–11 Based on the 1988 film, this musical follows the escapades of two competing con men in the French Riviera. Music and lyrics by David Yazbek. Book by Jeffrey Lane. Directed by Laura Marie Duncan (B.F.A. '94, musical theater). Conducted by Peter Mansfield. Musical direction by Steven Ladd Jones. Choreographed by Larry Sousa. 8:00 p.m., Thursday–Saturday 2:00 p.m., Saturday–Sunday Boston Conservatory Theater, $

Dance SPRING DANCE CONCERT: LIMITLESS April 19–22 Five diverse pieces by some of the most brilliant choreographers working today, including masterworks by Mark Morris and Doug Varone and a special project by Nona Hendryx and faculty member Duane Lee Holland. 8:00 p.m., Thursday–Saturday 2:00 p.m., Saturday–Sunday Boston Conservatory Theater, $

Dance WINTERWORKS February 22–25 A showcase of original work choreographed by Conservatory Dance Division students as well as pieces by guest choreographers Chien-Ying Wang, Adrienne Hawkins, and Junichi Fukuda. 8:00 p.m., Thursday–Saturday 2:00 p.m., Sunday Boston Conservatory Theater, $

Music BOSTON CONSERVATORY ORCHESTRA Ken-David Masur, guest conductor April 8 Works by Bernstein, Ravel, Thomas, and more. Featuring Yushan Bai (M.M. '16, G.P.D. '18, piano), 2017–2018 Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition Winner. 1:00 p.m. (Pre-concert lecture) 2:00 p.m. (Concert) Sanders Theatre at Harvard University, $. Call the Harvard Box Office for tickets at 617-496-2222.

Theater THE CRADLE WILL ROCK April 27–29 Set in “Steeltown, U.S.A.,” this story follows Larry Foreman’s efforts to unionize the town’s workers and combat Mr. Mister, who controls the town’s factory, press, church, and social organization. Book and music by Marc Blitzstein. Directed by Doug Lockwood. Musical direction by David Reiffel. 8:00 p.m., Friday–Saturday 2:00 p.m., Saturday–Sunday Boston Conservatory Theater, $

The Box Office opens on Wednesday, January 24 at 12:00 p.m. Tickets to Boston Conservatory events may be purchased after that time by phone at 617-912-9222 Wednesday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; online; or in person at the Berklee Box Office, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Monday through Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at the Boston Conservatory Box Office, 31 Hemenway Street, Wednesday though Friday between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. For more information on events and how to purchase tickets, visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/events.

Q&A MATTHEW LOWY (B.M. '15, COMPOSITION) ON TAKING YOUR OWN PATH

What brought you to Boston Conservatory at Berklee? The Composition Department. When I interviewed, they were the only school that asked questions about me and what I wanted, and the Conservatory was more concerned with my needs than deciding if I was a good match for them. From the beginning, I told them I wanted to study composition while being able to work as a music director and accompanist in the Theater Division, and they assured me that it would be possible.

As a composition student, what types of opportunities did you have? I had opportunities to compose projects for all three divisions. For example, the Song Project is where composers are paired with a vocal performance major to write a song or set for them to perform. I also had the opportunity to write pieces for professional Boston instrumental ensembles—such as the Juventas and Ludovico ensembles—which were performed at the Conservatory.

Tell us about your collaborations while a student at the school. As a music director, I worked extensively in the Theater Division on more than a dozen senior-directed musicals, Conservatory Connections Cabaret, and as assistant music director for a mainstage show. I also collaborated with the Dance Division, writing music to a friend’s choreography. The performance of that piece was a collaboration of dancers, musicians, and a musical theater major.

What did you learn from these collaborations? I learned to discuss and teach music through many different approaches based on the artist I was working with, and gained the ability to be versatile in talking about music, which has been invaluable in my postgraduate work.

What led you to your successful young career as a music director for Broadway touring shows? Music direction has always been a passion of mine, in addition to composition. I got involved in theater when I was young, and when I was 14, I had the opportunity to direct the music for a children’s show at a community theater. I love teaching music, and I specifically set out to study music direction at the Conservatory. While still a challenging and unpredictable profession, it has been a relatively stable source of work for me post-graduation, allowing me to work on various compositional projects on the side.

What have you been working on since graduation? I’ve worked as a musician for the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a China tour of My Fair Lady, and more recently, music directing and conducting the national tour of 42nd Street. About a year after graduating, I premiered an original musical, which I originally wrote and performed at the Conservatory, in the New York International Fringe Festival, and won an award for outstanding music composition. Most recently, I was commissioned by the Create Inspire Change Theater Company (CIC) in Boston to write an original holiday musical, which was performed in November and December of 2017. In between all of that, I’ve found work music directing a middle school musical, teaching private lessons at a local studio, and doing freelance arranging/transcribing work.

In fall 2017, you music directed the Conservatory’s new student orientation performance—what was it like to come back and work with students at the combined institution? I love coming back—meeting and working with current students renews my eagerness and spark for pursuing music and theater. It was great this year to have Berklee College of Music students involved as well, especially in

the band. As a music director at the Conservatory, I made a lot of friends with Berklee musicians, usually recruiting them for shows I was working on. It was a nice addition having College orientation leaders who could perform on their instruments during the skit.

What advice would you give to students looking to study music and composition? I would tell prospective music students to be open to collaboration. One of the most necessary skills to have is being able to deal with people kindly and efficiently. Musicians must be prepared to work with composers, producers, directors, students, sound designers, actors, dancers, and of course, other musicians. For composition students especially, it is beneficial to work closely with the instrumentalists, singers, and maybe even the actors or dancers for whom they write. Especially at an artistically diverse institution like Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music, I recommend taking advantage of the opportunities to collaborate with other departments, and even creating new opportunities.

Learn more about Matthew Lowy: mattlowymusic.com Learn more about music degree programs: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/music

Matthew Lowy, standing second from the right, with Conservatory Cabaret at Massachusetts General Hospital, 2015