Anuradha Sivagurunathan wrote:

>Angela Gheorghiu for instance is a superior artist, but when it came down
>to simple meet the fans at a concert she and her husband held (by private
>invite) in KL, she was a no show.  Aside from Neville Marriner...who charms
>everyone each time he's in town...classical artists generally have this
>stupid attitude that they're better than the rest of us plebs.  Why???

This reminds of a some comedian I heard a few years ago stating that
people think that the more famous you are, than the more stupid you are
perceived (by the general public).  The example he gave was that people
can't believe if they see Mr.Joe the Super Cool Hollywood Actor driving
down the street.  The truth, of course is, that Mr. Joe is a human being
as anyone else and certainly is competent enough to drive.  Of course, the
point being here is that famous people are humans too, but the problem is
that many of them don't realize that themselves.  They do have that "holier
than thou" attitude.  What seperates me from them is they might have a
more interesting job, more money and know more "artists" like themselves.
However, at the basic level, they eat, sleep, etc.  just like me.  I can
look up to them for what they have accomplished, but that's where I draw
the line.

>In today's world it's all about marketing...you can be the best..and yet no
>one aside from a few connoisseurs might hear you.  You can be crap and half
>the world raves about you.  A violinist in a racy dress romping up and down
>the stage, engaging her audience in banter - that's what gets people turned
>on.  When Evelyn Glennie performed in KL...she had the audience eating out
>of her hand...why, because she was so normal....she came in a loose pant
>suit, smiled, chatted, danced barefoot.....and looked like she was having
>a hell of a time on the marimba....that's marketability.Kennedy, W Marshall
>- they're clued in, and the rest had better get their act together.

Like him or hate him, that's why I like artists like Kennedy.  I've
had an opportunity to meet him after a concert, and I can see why he
is so likeable.  To be honest, I haven't met many people who have been
more modest, whether famous or not.  Not only did he come out from the
obligatroy "meet-and-greet",usually reserved for benefactors or local
"celebrities", but he spent more time with us few than with the others.
Introduced me to his new girlfriend, got us some wine and cake from the
"meet-and-greet" room, and basically spent a good 90 minutes with us, away
from the others.  It certainly helps his marketability, but what's wrong
with that? Now when I'm working at my part-time classical gig, and see one
of his CDs, the small "aura" that I may have carried about one of my
faveourite fiddlers is completely gone.  That's good.

However, I've met some a few other classical musicians, famous or
not-so-famous.  Sometimes I wish I hadn't bothered in the first place.
What's unfortuante is that, try as I may to be completely unbiased, if I
didn't like their attitude then whenever I listen to something performed
by that particular artist(s), I remember the encounter (I can't help it).
Pinchas Zukerman easily comes to mind, and, as a result, I conviniently
mis-placed his autograph after I got home.  Now, if they were smart, they
would at least try and make the effort of being likeable (even if though
this may not come naturally to them) in order to keep people buying their
albums.  I mean, I'm sure they want their albums to sell, don't they?

Milan Gowin
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