Get Your Anthem Fix

Adaptistration People 151For the second summer Olympics in a row, I just can’t seem to get motivated enough to watch a single event. Consequently, I’ve missed out on any anthem arrangement related controversy, such as the head-scratcher arrangements from 2004 games in Greece or the 2008 games in China where that county outright stole arrangements.

But I did run across an article by Alex Marshall in the 8/8/2016 edition of bbc.com that highlights 10 anthems the authors suggest are worth going out of your way to hear. There are some good recordings to accompany each one (after you sit patiently through the terribly long ads).

If you’re watching the games, have any of the anthems struck you? If so, which ones and why?

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

Related Posts

  • Not unlike many across the country, I became absorbed with current events yesterday so today's original topic will have to wait. It's been an…

    Adaptistration People 143
  • Whether you're home all day enjoying the holiday with family and friends or your orchestra is putting on a performance today, try to take…

    Adaptistration People 118
  • Whether you're home all day enjoying the holiday with family and friends or your orchestra is putting on a performance today, try to take…

    Adaptistration People 118

2 thoughts on “Get Your Anthem Fix”

  1. I have to admit to being a huge fan of national anthems, and have a rather large collection of recordings and notated music for over 200 anthems! For those who think they are all militaristic, predictable and easily dismissed, I submit for your interest, this link to a recording of the national anthem of India; words and music by Nobel Prize Winning Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4La__af1fVU

Leave a Comment