Search - The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Presents - Music Meets Business on DVD

Who is the Audience for This?

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 03/20/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I cannot imagine who the audience is for this DVD. It follows the conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra around, looking at their unusual rehearsal process, and then attempts to show, via some workshops that they conduct, how this might apply to business organizational practices. The orchestra apparently gets consultancies this way--there are scenes of their rehearsing, talking about their rehearsal process and playing for groups of business people in Germany and Japan. The upshot, however, seems to be that their democratic process of rehearsing - where each member of the orchestra has some sort of say in how a piece is to be performed - would have practical application in businesses, a sort of 'flat' rather than hierarchical organization. Whether this principle is worth an hour's documentary is debatable. There are some nice scenes showing the musicians discussing in very civilized fashion such things as articulation, phrasing, dynamics and the like with some comments and questions from business people attending their workshops, and some snippets of performances. But the upshot of all this seems to be, again and again, 'everyone should have a say' and 'everyone should respect the opinions of others even if they don't agree with them.' I'm a long-time admirer of the Orpheus CO (I'm primarily a classical music reviewer, not a business person) and I'm glad for their sake that they are getting these sorts of gigs as I'm assuming they get paid mucho for them.



This is the sort of documentary that it is mildly interesting to watch once. But to buy it? I don't think so.



Scott Morrison"

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra - an eye-opening video

pr | Ohio, USA | 01/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Contrary to the above review, I find this DVD absolutely fascinating. It should be in the library of anyone aspiring to be a conductor or anyone in management. Orchestral musicians will find it extremely refreshing. It'll forever change the way you think of conductors."