The Friday Informer: Not a Creature Was Orchestrating…

…except the cat, who smelled a certain music history book under the tree and therefore couldn’t get to sleep.

Photo of the Week: Post-Downtown If you catch your cat reading Gann instead of Ross, beware. After listening to nothing but Downtown music for hours and hours, Mr. Bojangles has turned bohemian—sleeping all day, chasing other cats around all night. What has Downtown Music wrought? It happened to Corey Dargel‘s cat; don’t let it happen to yours.

‘Tis the season, and while some are waiting on Santa and his toys for girls and for boys (including the opera fan who thinks she has everything), others are counting down and hoping for a larger gift this year. Orchestras, like eggnog, are enjoying the bump of seasonal popularity, but if the in-laws are not, try playing a little night music, and maybe they’ll take their cookies and go home.

Considering all the reality T.V. it has watched, America may think it knows family drama, but then it hasn’t seen composer family drama now, has it? (Though Canada tried it.) And speaking of airing the familial dysfunction, the Seattle Symphony opened up the doors and windows to show the world its music director was hobbled in more ways than one. I’d love to be at their office holiday party. And here you were thinking that the year you gave up law to write an opera made for a tense family gathering.

Composer Mikel Rouse has illustrated some very lovely greeting cards. Sure hope he’s not aiming that thing at me.

Still, if you’ve managed to keep your composure—even after you caught Uncle George rummaging through your medicine cabinet looking for performance enhancing drugs and then your cousin went cheap and gave you some classical music albums she found in the basement—maybe it’s time to sit down and consider what the new year will hold.

Do you need to update your bio? Rethink that chamber music series you were planning to hold at Big Mike’s Subs and Suds? Maybe you need a new strategy. In 2008, you will be your own agent and record label—all from your living room sofa! You will make records in your bedroom—and release them as high-quality MP3s (not that anyone could tell, but whatever). That whole pay-what-you-want thing might not be the industry savior, but for those who’ve been flat out stealin’ tunes, you can write a check, say you’re sorry, and start clean next year.

In the holiday spirit, we learn more about the classical critics in the audience (and wish we knew less about the people sitting next to them). Now go forth, visit your neighbors, and celebrate the season in the time-honored tradition of musical hostage taking.

Best wishes for a very merry holiday from your Friday Informer and the whole NMBx team!!