Audio Classique: a new event for the classical recording industry

‘The IAMA board was delighted to respond to the record industry’s request to join our Vienna conference,’ say Atholl Swainston-Harrison, chief executive of the International Artist Managers’s Assocation (IAMA) in reference to this year’s scheduling of an event within the conference entitled Audio Classique. ‘The industry’s part of our ecosystem and there’s a lot of cross-fertilisation that could potentially stimulate many good ideas and business.’

The emergence of Audio Classique reflects the no-show in 2023 of the large-scale Classical:NEXT arts event which embraced the classical recording industry, bringing together labels, distributors and other interested parties from the musical world to network and do business. Curator of the two-day Audio Classique is Steve Long, boss of the Floating Earth recording/production company and Signum Records. ‘A number of us from the recorded music side of the business thought it would be worth trying to organise something for 2023,’ he says. ‘Rather than start from scratch, partnering with another organisation and conference made sense. IAMA seemed a very good bedfellow.’

Co-ordinating Audio Classique alongside Long is Mark Pemberton, formerly chief executive of the Association of British Orchestras and IAMA conference regular. ‘The joy of the event,’ he says ‘will be a flow between the two conferences. That matters because artist managers rely on a thriving recording industry to help their artists. The conference sessions we’ve curated have been influenced by this cross-pollination.

‘The primary topic is streaming…the lack of fair remuneration of artists by streaming sites, but also the recognition that streaming helps classical music reach a wider audience. We need a grown-up conversation on how to make streaming work to the advantage of all. There’s also concern about the shift from linear broadcasting to on-demand. Where does classical fit into this brave new world?’

‘We’re hoping for a presentation from Apple about spatial audio and also their new classical app,’ adds Long. ‘Other invited guests include major and indie labels, magazines, digital service providers, broadcasters, artists managers and others. If it works well for both sides and there are no signs of Classical:NEXT rising from the ashes, I very much hope this might become a regular IAMA conference event.’

Meanwhile, the main thrusts of the IAMA conference reflect the instabilities of the moment in the world around us, from post-pandemic angst, anxiety over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and our current energy crisis to climate change and diversity issues. ‘Strong leadership is needed more than ever to form stable, agile and future-orientated organisations,’ observes conference chairman Nora Pötter, managing director of Vienna-based artist management, Künstleragentur Dr. Raab und Dr. Böhm. ‘How we find tomorrow’s leaders and artist managers… and the question of what is the new ‘work/work-life model’ in our field… are issues of concern, especially post-pandemic. We find ourselves surrounded by many tired, overworked colleagues…at the same time the young generation aims for more work-life balance and security. Then, how do we reach the audiences of tomorrow, different communities within cities — what is the “right” programming?’

The challenge for every IAMA chairman is to pull delegates away from the business meetings that inevitably stem from bringing the sector together and into the sessions. Pötter’s pitch? ‘The above-mentioned topics are crucial. Taking time for these issues is, in the long run, much more important than selling one or two more artists for next season. People who have a long-term strategy for their company will appreciate this. So… make time for valuable discussions about the future of our business. This will be much more fruitful!’

As a footnote, I notice the IAMA early morning running-club returns in Vienna. Turns out Pötter is a passionate marathon runner, although getting her offspring to kindergarten may take precedence this time around. ‘But I’ll be taking part in the Vienna City Marathon just before the official conference start, with plenty of colleagues… a wonderful joint experience.’

A long plane journey offered the opportunity to finally watch Tàr, La Blanchett and all… depicting the downward spiral of a woman conductor who seemed to have it all — [spoiler alert] implicated via email evidence in the suicide of a former protegée… then out of control in a violent concert platform scene. Disappointing as a movie — and what of the authenticity of the brief scene in the offices of Lydia Tàr’s artist management, ‘CAMI’, known to us as NY-based Columbia Artist Management Inc? A new CAMI manager assigned to Tàr in the wake of all this opines: ‘Well, right now it's a re-set…We want to be selective and re-build this from the ground up. That means we need a new story.’

Why even consider continuing to represent Tàr? Says one UK artist manager: ‘I’d probably not continue representing someone after that kind of concert platform incident, although you’d have to know the full circumstances. A re-set would be very difficult.’

‘If an apology made was genuine,’ says another manager, ‘and the context to some extent explained the behaviour (and this was an isolated and out-of-character incident) then I can imagine continuing to support the artist.’

What of the views of distinguished New Jersey-based artist manager Doug Sheldon, for many years a leading light at the real CAMI?  For a start, he says, ‘I don’t find Tàr authentic, nor reflective of orchestra/conductor relationships in today’s world.’ As for the artist manager’s role in such a predicament? ‘I feel the manager needed to be involved in discussions with Tàr about her actions early on, perhaps making ‘re-set’ plans even then. Once the suicide occurs and email evidence is known, everything becomes a matter for lawyers and the manager is more needed for support and personal guidance. She’ll have lost all conducting activities and opportunities.’

And that platform bust-up? Sheldon emphasises that present-day orchestra protocols would pre-empt such a development, ‘…but if it happened, the result would be she is arrested, charged and dealt with legally. I can’t imagine a “re-set”. The manager’s ability to represent her professionally would be erased by the crime of assault. I once “fired” an artist because I thought ego, greed and the passion to compete made collaboration impossible. As manager I’d have long before been concerned with how Tàr manipulated people and would have tried to guide her in the interest of protecting her from herself. Failing that, I’d have had to withdraw and suggest she work with someone else. However, in the case of such violence, she needs a lawyer more than a manager. “Re-set” is unthinkable. I’d walk away.’