Thursday, May 28, 2009

A Venue!

We have a venue! The Steinway Piano Gallery in Altamonte Springs has a recital room that holds a little over 100 people. It's a small venue, but to fill it will be a task none the less. The piano is already there, it is GRAND! and the venue will only cost $50. Something more than reasonable!
So now we can turn to promoting and trying to build this event into something really fanatastic for all. I'm so excited!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Funding and Fund Raising

I have a unique opportunity to possibly set up fund raising through my job. I will try to finalize some of that through work this week. Not using any names, but I've sent out emails to some people here in town that used to run an organization that put on art events.
I'm hoping they will help me set up an entity to do the fund raising through. As a person, on my own, I can't just say to people, "oh, just make the check out to me"
So, we have to set up an entity to raise the funds for. Such as 'Eating for The Arts'. To make that entity a non-profit would be even better, because those giving funds then get a tax write off.
I'm not very good at keeping up with paperwork, so I am not a good choice for running a non-profit. There are a good amount of guidelines to follow and that, I am not very good at, based on past experience.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

One Facility

One facility that has a Grand Piano here in town is Olympia High School.
I contacted the school today and got the rental information.
It is as follows:

Auditorium: 200.00 per hour (show time only)
Utilities: 36.00 per hour (entire time)
Site Admin: 35.00 per hour (entire time)
Custodian: 23.00 per hour (entire time)
Tech: 39.00 per hour (entire time)
Additional tech 15.00 per hour

Plus we should probably add in the cost of a professional tuning for the piano.

My guess is the cost for the event would be best estimated at three times all the amounts above.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Video Of Dirk Performing



Dirk in a most Classical Setting:


Click Here To Visit Dirk's MySpace

Today Is Wednesday - May 13th

Today is Wednesday,
I had a conversation recently with the Down Town Arts District. Basically this was the bottom line: there is no money. What funding that existed has been cut, you are on your own. No big shocker there. Today is spent strategizing and preparing to head out on our own to secure sponsors and lay the ground work for small fund raisers.
I'm hoping to work with some of the local restaurants and begin a new blog/promotional organization called 'Eating for the Arts', so stay tuned for that.
By the way, suggestions are always welcome. You may live in an area that supports the arts better and know how to solve these seemingly minor problems.
In the mean time, if you would like a diversion, visit:
www.myspace.com/orlandoartists and enjoy the music of Solillaquists Of Sound

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Zyll's Artwork available on Artfire.com

For some reason,
I can't get both viewers to work at the same time, either one or the other works,
but anyway, here's an old fashioned link to my artwork for sale on Artfire.com.
Just click the skelton image below!
(The link without the image is also below to the right.)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Piano

The Piano. Right now, this is the biggest hurdle for this event. DIRK plays brass instruments--easy to transport, yes. But his partner, Jürg Henneberger plays Grand Piano.

In Orlando, any venue that already has a Grand Piano, or in this case, probably a Baby Grand Piano, is fairly expensive to rent. The other option is to rent and transport (and pay for a tuning) of a piano into a venue, that will also have to be rented for the event.

As far as I know, most classical organizations here in town are struggling financially. So, at this time, no one is throwing open their arms and saying "Come Join Us, Welcome! We'll Host You!" or "We're doing events all the time like this, so just join in!"

So, for now, we're on the hunt to solve the 'piano' piece of this puzzle.
Please find the donation button above if you would like to help us meet this goal. You choose the amount, any amount will help, thanks!

Friday, May 1, 2009

About This Blog - Full Version

My name is Zyll. I'm a visual artist living in Orlando, Florida.

I started this blog to follow the progress of an event to happen in September 2009. The premise is fairly straightforward--2 classically trained musicians from Germany contacted visual artist Jack Beals and asked if it would be possible to book an event or two in September of the following year for them to come and perform.

One of the musicians' name is DIRK and he and his partner travel the world performing music in an artistic setting. So, you would think, to ask to play a venue or two in Orlando, Florida--one of the world's most famous travel destinations and a 'town' of about 3 million people would be a fairly reasonable request.But, what we have found is a bit of an uphill battle.....

Orlando is barely in an embryonic state as far as 'World Class Arts And Culture' is concerned. And I welcome ANYONE to prove me wrong in making this statement. So, the purpose of this blog is a simple one....

To follow the progress of putting together an event within which Dirk can perform. Find on these pages a constant accountabilty of progress, videos of Dirk's other performances, and a look into the Arts And Culture of Orlando, Florida.

We ask that you please follow this blog. Suggest, argue, debate, and discuss the shaping of this event and donate.

We will make it possible and fun to donate through this blog.

We will keep you abreast as to the goals we are setting and how we are meeting those goals.

Help us make this an event that anyone in the world can share in shaping.This event is a challenge. But in meeting this challenge, we lay the ground work for many more events in the future, each bigger and better than the last!