Apple is expected to introduce its music streaming service next week, but can the company make gains against Spotify?; L.A. Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel (pictured) reflects on his six seasons on the podium and his long-term future here; Pete Townsend has recorded a new version of his rock opera, "Quadrophenia," with actual opera singers.
Gustavo Dudamel on why he's staying in LA and how classical music can reach the working class
Gustavo Dudamel has just completed his sixth season as artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As Dudamel prepared to conduct his final concert of the season, we talked with him in a green room at Walt Disney Concert Hall about why he decided to stay in L.A., the status of the Philharmonic, reaching more diverse audiences and more.
Dudamel's L.A. connection
Dudamel says that he's felt a great connection ever since coming to Los Angeles in 2005, but he's trying to build the Philharmonic into an even better family.
"The most important thing for an artist, especially working in a group, is to have a good atmosphere," Dudamel says. "And this atmosphere is always there, even if, like life, it's not a good day — always, we are focused in the music, and to give the best that we can, to create something."
He says he's proud that the group's work has led to the Philharmonic being seen as an important arts institution by the world. As he continues putting his imprint on the orchestra, he says it's natural that some musicians will come and go.
"The orchestra is full of people of experience that were hired by my predecessors," Dudamel says, "and that is very important. They are a very important part of the family. But always, the natural action, have to move. People have to go to open the space to the new generations, and I think the balance right now in the orchestra is very good."
Why he decided to stay here
As rumors swirled recently about interest from other major orchestras, Dudamel signed a contract extension that will keep him in L.A. through the 2022 season.
"Every day you have an idea of what you want to do, how you can make that possible. And I think we have many things still to do. We have been doing a lot, really a lot in these six, seven years that I have been music director. And I'm looking forward for the centennial. That is a very special moment for the family, and many projects — if I say one, it will be too short of the good ambition that we have."
Dudamel told us the ease he felt about renewing his contract.
"Come the day that I decided to extend the contract, I was sure. I was really happy. It was not something difficult to say, well, I will be [here] until 2022. It's big, it's a long time, but it was not difficult. It was very natural, because [of] the wonderful relation that we have."
We asked Dudamel about the rumors that he was being courted by the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. Dudamel expressed pride in being mentioned alongside those groups, but tiptoed around the exact negotiations.
"The gossip around the world is always very big — who will be the next? Look, to be part of that is an honor for me," Dudamel says. "But here we have a great orchestra that is very important, and that we are developing something really, really, really deep. I have a great respect and huge love for all of these orchestras — for example, I go to Berlin every season."
Reaching younger, poorer, less white audiences
Being a member of the city of L.A. has affected Dudamel, he says.
"I love Los Angeles. I really love this city, and [it's] really important, huge that my son was born here. That is something beautiful. That is a unique connection with the city. Plus the family, of course, and the friends. I feel privileged in life, and that for me is the most important thing to live in a place."
Dudamel says he also enjoys the city's diversity.
"Here in Los Angeles, we have people from many countries, and that is something beautiful in Los Angeles — all of these big communities, coming from different places, interacting together."
Still, despite the city's diversity, the Philharmonic's audiences tend to be older, whiter and richer, missing the strong Latino element of the city's population. Dudamel says that, even with those facts, the concert hall still belongs to the people.
"This is their house. This is their home. And I think everybody in Los Angeles feels proud of this building, as a symbol of architecture, of the genius of Frank Gehry, together with all the team. But also we have a great orchestra that works for the community."
Dudamel says the Philharmonic is open to everyone, and that there is at least one Latino element. "It's Latino, because here is a Latino," Dudamel says, referring to himself.
"I'm a Latino, and I'm very proud to be Venezuelan, Latino. And also, I'm very proud to be part of this community, because at the end, after seven years, you also feel Angeleno," Dudamel says. "This classical music is not an elitist element of society. If not, it's art, culture — and culture is important for the people. So I invite everybody to come and to be part of this wonderful journey. To have one of the greatest orchestras in the world, one of the best venues, having one of the best cities in the world."
Price can be one of the barriers to entry — a look at tickets for a recent concert with music from Philip Glass showed a ticket in almost the last row for $65, and another with an obstructed view for $75.
"It can be an issue, but we are working in projects where the community can be part of something that is reasonable. And for example, we started when I became music director, I saw many people working here around in the hall that, they were working here, but they didn't see the hall inside. And for me, it was like, wow. Let's do something, let's bring them to a rehearsal."
Dudamel says that he brought those people in to see rehearsals as part of the orchestra's family, and that the orchestra also reaches out to the community through community concerts.
"At the beginning of the season, we go to the communities. Because that is also important. We cannot expect for the people only to come. The orchestra has to go to the community, and we play these beautiful community concerts. I remember, we were doing 'Peter and the Wolf' with Julie Andrews in church, in the hospital, in these kinds of things. Not because it's a compromise, it's because it's important to do. It's part of our responsibility as an artist. An artist is part of the community, and a very important part of the community that has to share the beauty."
As he puts together the orchestra's season, he has to serve different masters — much of the crowd wants classics, but there's also a desire to introduce new works and new composers. Dudamel has to strike a balance between the classics and those that can be new to the ear.
"When we did the Brahms festival, we did [it] with new pieces. Most of them were premieres. With Brahms, that is the most traditional composer."
Dudamel says he approaches it like introducing someone to new food.
"When you don't know something that somebody put on your table, but you combine with something that you know, it's easy to understand. Maybe you don't like, but at least you try. And Los Angeles is a symbol of future, because always, future doesn't exist, remember. The future is an action, a co-action of the present. So, the thing is that when we do modern music and we are in our commitment of the future, we have to do that today."
Why music education matters
His own musical success comes out of Venezuela's El Sistema music education program. Dudamel continues that passion with L.A.'s Youth Orchestra, and says that music education is key.
"We cannot see art, culture, as something that is not important for our children. What is the Sistema about at the end in Venezuela? It is an artistic/social program, that has become a right for the children. It's like health care, it's like education. You know, we need more of that for our children, because it's about creativity. Arts culture is about creativity, it's about feelings, it's about beauty."
Dudamel says that music can be used to reach out to those not included in society.
"The people that don't have possibilities. So when you give an instrument to a child, that is poor, doesn't have money, he doesn't have identity, because he's poor. Poverty's about that — identity," Dudamel says. "When you give an instrument, what a beautiful symbol, because an artist, it's not common to be part of the society only as a normal, regular person, if not as an artist, as a special person."
Dudamel credits José Antonio Abreu, the founder of El Sistema, with helping him.
"I'm a result of that, of that project, but also I see how this changed the life of these children, and how powerful is the music to help them to be somebody in life."
The joy of getting older — and no longer being a boy wonder
As summer starts, Dudamel has more work even though it's the Philharmonic's off-season — he'll be conducting at the Hollywood Bowl. Still, he does make time to recharge.
"I do everything. I love to read, I love to go to the cinema, I love to spend time with my family. And now that my son is 4 years old, I'm spending more time with him," Dudamel says. "And it's so beautiful, because you feel that you are getting old, and to get old is fun also. I like, I have a lot of gray hair, and I like that. It's not only curly, it's also getting gray."
He’s 34 years old now — no longer the boy-wonder conductor who took the orchestra and city by storm.
"Now I'm taking more time to rest, because my boy, and the family, of course. And this is the thing, you know — I'm working all the time, but at the same time, I love what I do, so I don't get tired of that."
Dudamel says that while he was labeled a boy wonder, that's not how he saw himself.
"The thing is that I never was a genius; I never was a prodigy. I was developing my life as a student with a lot of work, with a lot of love — that is important. That is why, when people ask me, what is the secret — it's to love what you do. And to use your talent, even if it's very small, with intelligence. To measure what to do and what not to do. Sometimes, the most difficult thing is to know what not to do, than what to do."
Dudamel says that each day is still a new beginning.
"It's like when we play a symphony — and we start, even if we have been playing thousands of times, every time that we play the first note, we are starting something. So I hope God gives me life to develop not only a career, [but] a life through music. To develop my intellect as an artist, and to do my best to bring music to more and more and more people. That is my goal, at the end."
Despite all the time he spends on music, Dudamel still has time for other pursuits — like being a Lakers fan. He came to the city as one, but he's learning to appreciate the competition.
"Clippers, they are doing very good, very well, and I'm very happy. But well, look, if Lakers, they don't get to the finals and Clippers go, I have to go for Clippers."
Dudamel says he still has more left undone in L.A.
"My extension here is because we have so many things — it's going so well, that when it's going so well, the things, you try to push yourself forward, you know, more and more and more and more, to do more things, and I think we have still a lot of room to do wonderful projects."
He says he's happy with what he's done — but he's also happy thinking about the future. Dudamel will conduct the L.A. Philharmonic for several concerts in July. For the schedule, go to HollywoodBowl.com.
Apple vs. Spotify: What to expect from Apple's music streaming service
Next week is Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, where the company is expected to introduce its long-awaited music streaming service. Once launched, Apple’s option will immediately compete with industry leader Spotify, and possibly create another hurdle for Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming service.
But Apple has some big challenges ahead, including signing up some of the industry’s biggest labels, which are on the Apple fence. Ethan Smith of the Wall Street Journal wrote a piece with Daisuke Wakabayashi on Apple’s expected streaming service and he spoke with the Frame’s John Horn.
Interview Highlights
What is Apple expected to offer with its streaming service?
“Apple is expected to offer something that, in a lot of ways, is pretty similar to Spotify or Tidal or several other competitors. You pay $10 a month and you can listen to as much music as you want.”
Why has it taken Apple so long to get its streaming service up and running?
“Apple and Spotify each have almost exactly the same market share in their respective markets. Apple has 85 percent of the download market. Spotify has 86 percent of the on-demand streaming market... For a long time [Apple] believed in the value of music as something you actually buy as opposed to a sort of fungible commodity that you rent in these mass quantities."
Apple spent $3 billion acquiring Beats. How will Beats be incorporated into what they’re doing, and what is the potential upside for Apple in this deal?
“The average iTunes customer spends $30 a year downloading music. So what Apple really needs to do for this to work is to convince a healthy number of those people to pony up and subscribe. Because, obviously $120 a year is a lot more than $30 a year."
It’s a very fractured world for music consumers. Who’s going to win here, is it going to be the companies or the music fans?
“The jury is just way out on that. I mean, for the time being, music fans can just listen to whatever they want for free if they have the time. They can just go on YouTube and listen to anything. For people who buy a lot of music, $120 a year for unlimited music is a good deal. For people who buy three albums a year, that’s a big outlay and they may not do it.”
How are the record companies assessing what Apple is proposing in terms of their bottom line?
“The big music companies see the writing on the wall. Downloads grew consistently for a long time, now they’re declining. Streaming is increasing pretty rapidly at this point. To a very large extent they’ve reconciled themselves to living in a world where this is how things happen. If people are paying for music, that is much better for music companies than any alternative.”
The Who's 'Quadrophenia' is coming back with real opera singers
The Who's Pete Townshend and tenor Alfie Boe, stepping in for Roger Daltrey, are joining forces to revamp the 1973 rock opera "Quadrophenia." The BBC's Dee Sebastian met with Boe to discuss the new recording, "Classic Quadrophenia," which is being released on June 9, and the live performance, slated for Royal Albert Hall on July 5.
"I love Quadrophenia," Boe says. "It's something that I have been listening to for a very long time — obviously since I was in my early teens."
Interview highlights
You weren't born when the album came out, were you? Or you were just born when the first album came out?
I was a week old. A week old and I told Pete Townshend that and then he hit me — he didn't really! It is weird to think that I am going to be singing something that was written around the time that I was born, but the music is fantastic.
How do you feel about taking over for Roger Daltrey in the lead?
I'm feeling more about the role of Jimmy, rather than Daltrey. I think if I start thinking about taking over for Roger Daltrey, that's quite a daunting task.
Give us a quick synopsis of the story.
Jimmy is a very frustrated teenager. He is a 19-year-old; nobody understands him. He is so determined to be the rebel in this world. There's the fight between the Mods and Rockers.
Mods and Rockers was very much of its time, wasn't it? In the 1970s — but that translates to any gangs now.
It does now. The rest of the story goes is that his frustration continues when he sees his friends, basically they start growing up. They don't want to fight anymore on Brighton Beach. They want to just live a nice peaceful life, but Jimmy's still that determined guy.
The recording is out in a couple of weeks, but you're going to do a live show. What are you going to wear, Alfie?
I'm gonna get as rocky as possible.
Because I hear you quite like leather trousers.
I think Pete Townshend and Rachel Fuller, who did the orchestration, she said that I need to be wearing beautiful, slick DJ, like a mod-suit DJ, with a huge sequence target on the back.
It's at the Royal Albert Hall. It's absolutely vast, isn't it?
Yeah, it's incredible.
It's bigger than most opera concert halls.
Yeah, without a doubt. It's a beautiful place to play, I've played there many times and the excitement backstage is just as good as the excitement on stage.
Your voice will obviously be amplified, unlike in opera. What about the range?
The range is pretty challenging. There are not many low notes. There are ridiculously high notes, which Roger does. I just think: how the hell did he do it? I sing it my way. I sing the piece as a trained classical singer.
Let's talk about those songs. I just picked out a few that I've always liked. "The Punk and the Godfather."
That is a wonderful track. That is the duet I sing with Pete Townshend.
Then there is the song "5:15." That is when Jimmy is supposed to be on the train to Brighton.
Heading down to Brighton. In the movie, I think he's actually off his face.
Let's get onto that — the drugs and the drink and stuff, Alfie. So I'm wondering how, as in a normal concert performance you'll stand fairly statically in front of the orchestra. Are you going to be jumping about a bit? Taking the microphone off its stand and running up and down?
I won't be spinning it like Roger Daltrey does. I won't be standing still. You can't stand still when this music is playing.
This is what Pete has been quoted saying about you:
"He reminds he of Roger Daltrey. He is a real pleasure to work with. He's funny and good-looking. The girls like him."
I can assure the listeners that is definitely true. What do you think of that?
I don't know. Did he also say that he was going to push me into the pit as well?
He did. He says he's going to push you into the orchestra pit. Do you think he is? That is a long drop if I remember rightly.
As long as he doesn't hit me with a guitar, I can do what he wants.
Let's talk about the ending "Love Rain O'er Me." The song, it sort of ends in a scream, basically.
Yeah, it's a release of all the anguish, all the frustration, all the tension that he's gone through. He wants to be loved. He wants the girl that he adores to love him. None of this is happening. So it's like somebody grabbing his heart and pulling it to pieces, and then stepping on it.