All About TAFTO

Take A Friend To Orchestra, or TAFTO, is an annual event at Adaptistration every April where more than a dozen critics, bloggers, musicians, classical music enthusiasts, and administrators as they write about how average patrons throughout the country can invite friends who don't regularly participate in live music events to a performance in your area.

Essentially, TAFTO is an opportunity for the people who care the most about classical music to participate in a proactive way; and no, you're not simply going to get hit up to write a check or make a donation to your local orchestra.

Why Participate?
If this business ever hopes to reverse the trend in declining ticket sales and lack of participation throughout their communities, they are going to need the help of the people who already care about classical music. In order to begin making a difference, each patron inclined to participate should have as much help from those involved with the inside of this business as possible, but on your terms.

The more patrons who participate across the country each April, the more likely the program will develop and evolve into something uniquely capable of contributing a constructive influence in the development of tomorrow's classical music culture.

As such, enabling patrons to become contributing partners who have a distinct voice in the future of their orchestras is a necessary step in the process of recovery.

You'll also have the opportunity to contribute an account of your own experiences participating in the program as well submitting questions for some of our expert contributors.

How Do I Get Started?
Start off by reading the contributions submitted by our experts over the years. Next, you need to find a concert you would like to invite your friends to attend with you. Don't be unsure of yourself, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to invite someone to a concert. The idea is to make the experience whatever you want it to be. Invite one person or a whole group of friends to go along with you - be the center of attention!

 

TAFTO 2008

• Jeremy Denk: Pianist and author of Think Denk | bio
• Charles T. Downey: Professor, Choral Singer, and moderator of Ionarts | bio
• Chris Foley: Pianist and author of the  Collaborative Piano Blog | bio
• Gary Ginstling: Director, Communications and External Affairs, San Francisco Symphony | bio
• Matt Heller: Calgary Philharmonic double bassist and author of hellafrisch.blogspot | bio
• Carlos Kalmar: Music Director, Oregon Symphony and Grant Park Music Festival | bio
• Laurie Niles: Violinist and editor of violinist.com, the online violin community | bio
• Ben Smith: Physics Graduate Student and author of ClassicalConvert.com | bio
• Ron Spigelman: Music Director, Springfield Symphony and co-author of Sticks and Drones | bio

 

TAFTO 2007

• Paul Alter: Retired multimedia training specialist, practicing music addict
• Galen Brown: Composer and Sequenza21.com blogger
• Andrew Druckenbrod: Classical Music Critic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Bill Harris: Systems Dynamics Expert and orchestra enthusiast
• Jason Heath: Bassist & author of Jason Heath's Double Bass Blog
• Magda Krance: Manager of Media Relations, Lyric Opera of Chicago
• Frank J. Oteri: AMC Composer Advocate & Founding Editor, NewMusicBox
• Jim Palermo: General Director, Grant Park Music Festival
• Henry Peyrebrune: Bassist, Cleveland Orchestra
• Jesse Rosen: Executive Vice President and Managing Director, ASOL
• Roger Ruggeri: Bassist, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
• Leonard Slatkin: Musician
• Michael Tiknis: Managing Director, Harris Theater for Music and Dance
• Connie Linsler Valentine: Executive Director, Nashville Chamber Orchestra
• Kim Pensinger Witman: Director, Wolf Trap Opera & Classical Programming

 

TAFTO 2006

• Jerry Bowles: Publisher& Editor, Sequenza21.com
• Marc Geelhoed: Classical Music Writer, Time Out Chicago & author of the blog Deceptively Simple
• Timothy Judd: Violinist, Richmond Symphony Orchestra
• Kevin Giglinto: Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• Pete Matthews: Classical Music Enthusiast & for profit marketing professional
• Joe Patti (Part 2): Theatre Manager & author of the arts management blog Butts In the Seats
• Brian Sacawa: Concert Saxophonist & author of the music blog Sounds Like Now
• Alex Shapiro: Composer & author of the blog Notes from the Kelp

 

TAFTO 2005

• Paul Bailey: Musician & composer
• Sam Bergman: Violist, Minnesota Orchestra
• William Eddins: Music director, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
• Henry Fogel: President, American Symphony Orchestra League
• Kyle Gann: Composer, musicologist, and music critic; The Village Voice
• Lisa Hirsch: Critic; San Francisco Classical Voice
• George Hunka: Playwright and classical music enthusiast
• Frank Manheim: Knowledgeable nonprofessional classical music activist
• Drew McManus: Orchestra consultant and blogger
• Patricia Mitchell: Principal oboe, Opera San Jose
• Holly Mulcahy: Violinist, Richmond Symphony Orchestra
• Charles Noble: Assistant Principal violist, Oregon Symphony
• Helen Radice: UK based harpist extraordinaire
• Alex Ross: Author & music critic; The New Yorker
• Greg Sandow: Music critic; the Wall Street Journal, composer, educator, and blogger.
• Lynn Sislo: Classical music enthusiast and popular cultural blogger
• Blair Tindall: Oboist, Journalist, and author