Klarinet Archive - Posting 000559.txt from 1998/03

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Music Promotion
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 11:13:47 -0500

Good luck.

My orchestra (the pompously-named Northwest Symphony Orchestra) has a
soft spot in its heart for new music and local composers--we generally
premier one piece per concert (in between the old warhorses and other
cool stuff). We've won a number of ASCAP awards for our programming.

With that said--a couple of observations. First, the audience
absolutely hates it. (That is, everyone except the composer, who gets to
stand up and bow, and maybe even run off at the mouth for about a half
hour over what a wonderful piece it is). Second, half the musicians
hate it. One of the other quarters (including me) love it. The other
quarter isn't playing that particular tune.

We also do a chamber concert once a year with all new music. Generally,
the musicians like it better--self selection and all. We seldom pass
the "audience test"--there are always more people on stage than in the
audience.

New music doesn't sell, at least here in the Northwest.

kf

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Benjamin A. Maas" <bmaas@-----.net>
Subject: Music Promotion
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 1998 20:33:18 -0800

I have been in the process of starting a contemporary music ensemble for
the
past few months. Our first concerts are going to be at the end of this
month and the second weekend of April. We are right now in the throws
of
publicity.

Has anybody out there dealt with issues of marketing new music to a
general
(non-college) audience. I have found that when you mention
"contemporary
music" that people freak out and you don't get anybody at your concerts.
I
have been thinking about billing it as a concert of American chamber
music.

The program looks to be as follows:

Ray Pizzi- Woodwind Quintet (heavy jazz/fusion influenced piece. Higher
faster-louder)
Russell Steinberg- Subterranian Dances (Pirot Ensemble)
Stephen Gryc- Fantasy on a Theme of Bartok (oboe + string quartet)
Dominic Argento- To Be Sung Upon the Water (soprano, clar., piano)
Beth Weimann- Villancico (flute, clarinet, viola, cello)
Frank Proto- Afro American Fragments (bass clar, cello, dbl. bass,
narrator)

There is a strong possibility of us getting the famed actor, Paul
Winfield
to narrate, but it is not confirmed.

It is a big program and the quality is going to be quite high, but how
can
we get an audience. We have some pretty big mailing lists, but many of
the
people on them have some pretty conservative tastes in music.

Any help or experiences others may have had would be GREATLY
appreciated.
When the concerts get a little closer, I will post dates, times, and
programs to the list.

Thanks in advance.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Clarinetist and Digital Recording Engineer
Student, University of Southern California
Executive Director, Digital Renaissance Consort
bmaas@-----.net
bmaas@-----.edu

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