Drew McManus

As opera houses and orchestras simulcast their performances into movie theatres across the country, critics charge that it’s turning classical music into a cheap reality show. Fans say it’s as addictive as popcorn. It's our Soundcheck Smackdown debate.

The global financial crisis is beginning to take its toll on the music sector, from the orchestra field, which has seen similar belt-tightening, right down to individual musicians, who are taking up second jobs. We speak with Drew McManus, orchestra consultant and blogger at Adaptistration, and Los Angeles Times contributor ...

The New York Philharmonic's trip to North Korea may be unique but it's hardly the first American classical-music group to perform in the politically isolated nation. Violinist Young-Nam Kim performed there with a string quartet in 2004 and is returning there to teach next month. He joins us.

Also: two ...

Arts critics have either been laid off or forced into early retirement at the Chicago Sun-Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune and New York magazine, among other publications. It's left many wondering…why now? Can blogs fill in the gaps? We talk with Frank J. Oteri, composer and editor of NewMusicBox.org; and Drew ...