And the Band Stopped Playing: The Rise and Fall of the San Jose Symphony [Paperback]

Thomas Wolf (Author), Nancy Glaze (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

What makes this data-rich book compelling is, in part, its realism...[it] is a kind of postmortem...a cautionary tale. -- Wall Street Journal, October 22 - 23, 2005

About the Author

Dr. Thomas Wolf is Chairman and CEO of Wolf, Keens & Company, an international consulting firm with a focus on arts and culture. His lifelong association with symphony orchestras began with his debut as flute soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of sixteen. Since that time he has provided guidance to orchestras throughout the United States and advised grantmakers that fund orchestras. For a decade he was consultant to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Magic of Music program, helping to allocate millions of dollars toward innovation in the orchestra field. He is the author of The Financial Condition of Symphony Orchestras and an editor of Americanizing the American Orchestra, both publications of the American Symphony Orchestra League. His other books include Presenting Performances and Managing a Nonprofit Organization in the 21st Century. Nancy Glaze is Director of Arts at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation in1983, she was executive director of the Community School of Music and Arts in Silicon Valley. She has been active at the local, state, and national levels on issues of cultural policy, arts education, and leadership development. She was a founding member of the Silicon Valley Arts Fund, a program of the Community Foundation Silicon Valley; and co-chaired the arts education task force for Cultural Initiatives/Silicon Valley. She is currently on the board of Americans for the Arts and the Classics for Kids Foundation, and also serves on the advisory committee for the Nonprofit Finance Fund. Nancy Glaze is a 2001 recipient of the California Arts Council award for exemplary contributions to the arts in California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Wolf, Keens & Company (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976970406
• ISBN-13: 978-0976970408
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative, thoughtful and a great "text" for students, November 16, 2005

By 

Elliott Schwartz "polarbearmusic" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And the Band Stopped Playing: The Rise and Fall of the San Jose Symphony (Paperback)

This fall semester I've been teaching a college survey course called "A Night at the Symphony," dealing not only with the usual music-appreciation topics but also the symphony orchestra as an institution. The book has been on the top of our required reading list. It offers a great springboard for student discussions of American orchestras and their links to civic life, economics, demography, politics and power -- areas that don't leap to mind when studying sonata form or Romantic orchestration (!), but are critical to understanding the symphonic world today. I recommend the book highly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Study, November 17, 2005

By 

D. Nimetz - See all my reviews

This review is from: And the Band Stopped Playing: The Rise and Fall of the San Jose Symphony (Paperback)

This case history of an American symphony orchestra should be required reading for all musicians (including conservatory students), personnel at state and federal arts agencies, and grantmakers in every locality that has a professional symphony orchestra. In fact, anyone interested in the health of our cultural institutions will get something out of it. It's a fine presentation of a sad story that could have, and should have, had a different outcome.

D. Nimetz (New York City)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Arts, November 16, 2005

By 

Lisa M. Wong (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And the Band Stopped Playing: The Rise and Fall of the San Jose Symphony (Paperback)

This book offers a clear and concise analysis of the many challenges that face arts nonprofits in general, and classical music organizations (not just symphony orchestras) in particular. The journey the reader takes through the good times and then ultimate demise of the SJS is a cautionary tale from which many lessons can be learned.

Dr. Wolf and Ms. Glaze do not bemoan the death of classical music (the ever-popular dirge), but instead touch on the crux of the debate: Arts organizations must find a way to remain relevant, vital and of value to their communities.

While this excerpt is specifically addressing the choice of music director, it serves as an example that aptly sums up the broader mission and vision that is part of the book and should be taken to heart by us all:

"Looking at the musical excellence of a conductor, his respect by colleagues, and his conducting experience in world capitals is certainly crucial. But not considering equally carefully an individual's ability to relate to the community and be a spokesperson for the orchestra in a variety of community settings--from schools to city council chambers to service clubs--is a mistake (p.48)."

This is a book to learn from and should be distributed widely to musicians, board members, and funders alike.