 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-07-14 16:23
There was a recent post about the audience of classical music disappearing, and I felt my comments might warrant a new topic. I am a music teacher, both my daughters, now 13 and 15 are involved in music, and I have brought them several times to the Boston Symphony. Their first outing was to the Young People's Concerts on a Saturday morning, conducted and taught by Keith Lockhart. The music and lesson were great, aimed at about grade 5-6 . However, the audience was very noisy, as there were many very young children who were not supervised.
So we then brought them to a few open rehearsals, essentially like concerts but with the occasional interruption in the music by the conductor, doing the kinds of things conductors do. Although my kids were receptive audience members, they were not made welcome by the "regulars" in the audience. They did not speak during the performance. They did not leave their seats. They did not read or play video games. They did, however, adjust their positions occasionally in their seat and apparently "distracted" the other members of the audience.
They were not made to feel welcome. There were no other young people in the audience, and by young, I mean under thirty. An elderly woman actually leaned forward and suggested my children didn't belong there. We were attempting to give our young'uns, who have been exposed to classical music, the opportunity to hear it live. How much more exciting!
So, I haven't been back to the Symphony regular season performances, as the kids are my family and it's quite a hike for me to get there.
This could possible reason that the audience for classical music may be disappearing. It's not for lack of interest. The Symphony website offers quite a few "suggestions" about audience etiquette, including the instruction that audience members should not reach for personal belongings during the performance. God forbid you should need a tissue.
During the classical era, the masses attended concerts, bringing with them the entire family and a picnic. They made their feelings about the music known, and very vocally. Unfortunately we now have a certain "behavior" code which allows only the "elite', whoever they are.
Has anybody else experienced this?
Sue Tansey
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: msloss
Date: 2005-07-14 16:55
Of course it would be impolitic to say, but I would have been inclined to ask that woman who would fill these seats and support this orchestra after she and her cohort pass on to their greater rewards. I would also imagine that your generational critic probably paid good money at some point to listen to a prodigy like Midori who was considerably younger than your daughters.
I would say if youth attendees are not being disruptive they should be welcomed with open arms. Of course there is etiquette to the concert setting, but this etiquette also includes areas "mature" patrons are guilty of including not opening candies during the performance. I also can't begin to count the number of times as both audience member and performer I have had to sit through what should be a sublime transition between symphonic movements waiting for the shifting, rustling, crinkling, and coughing up of major organs before the performance could continue.
It is the responsibility of us as parents to make our children part of the audience. If they are conducting themselves as responsible concertgoers then they have every right to be there. Assert yourself and tell your critics to mind their own business. Also, make an effort to seek out more programs that are geared toward younger audiences where they will be welcomed and encouraged to interact. David Hattner and I have established a series of chamber concerts using top-flight musicians from New York (drawn from Orpheus, etc.) that have strong educational and interactive components to draw in young patrons. The programs are as sophisticated as any you could dream up, but we open the content in such a way that students can feel a part of rather than a witness to a concert. I'm sure there are numerous programs around New England with similar purposes.
Good luck and keep bringing your girls!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-07-14 17:44
I think this is a large factor in why "classical" audiences are dwindling. It falls into a philosophy I've taken to personally as of late: If you don't MAKE someone do something, perhaps they'll want to.
The performance that I liked giving more than any other was a lobby gig before the Long Beach Symphony. Our quintet was up on a little platform, and played as people entered, chatted, had drinks, and perhaps listened. There were tables near us, at which people began to sit. Soon, people were standing around, and we eventually had a sizeable audience, all quiet and respectful out of choice, but neither silent nor immobile. Since noise in this venue was expected, it was not unwelcome, and thus enhanced the atmosphere. The lobby felt alive, and only the people that wanted to listen to that particular piece actually listened. Anyone who was there for status and shutting up went into the main hall to find their seats. We therefore had an attentive, *happy* audience. Seated or standing comfortably. Allowed to eat candies, have a drink, cough (scandal!), mutter to each other, etc.
I find that I have a very difficult time with concert etiquette. I am perfectly happy listening to just about any music, live or recorded, for an extended period of time, in any venue EXCEPT a concert hall. I find the "sit down, shut up, look forward, and keep to your cubic meter of space" mentality oppressive and not conducive to listening. I am there, being forced to listen to the music as some concert hall designer intended and as some classical/romantic etiquetticians dictated, and in no other way. And I often feel like saying "Well, screw you! I'll sit out in the lobby and listen to it comfortably, thank you very much!"
As another example, I have a very difficult time listening to choral music. I just don't care for it, and am extremely fidgety when sitting concert-hall-style listening to it. However, last fall (due to a conducting project) I sat in the back of the choral room for a rehearsal. It was great! I liked the music, I liked listening to it, and I liked just being there. I believe this is because my role in it was not "person who shall henceforth be an official listener and shan't engage in superfluous tomfoolery," but rather "some guy who happens to be in the room."
And I think this is how music is best appreciated. When you are playing for people who just happen to be there and would like to listen, and have the option of leaving at any time. If they *can* leave, and they *can* do other things, then each moment they spend actually paying attention to the music facilitates real communication between the performers and a willing audience.
I encourage anyone, if given the opportunity, to attend concerts of Indian classical music. I went to a few a couple years back. The performers are constantly critiquing, through nods and shakes of the head, and even murmurs of approval or a disappointed "tsk tsk." The audience does the same thing. Audibly. And this is not considered a bad thing by many. At one particular concert, I heard a very strange sound. I was sure it was a garbage truck coming down the street. Then I realized it was Sunday evening. About ten minutes later, I realized what the occasional rumbling noise was: the sound of 150 audience members each murmuring "hmm" at passages well-executed. It was delightful.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2005-07-14 17:49
msloss wrote:
>
including not opening candies
> during the performance. I also can't begin to count the number
> of times as both audience member and performer I have had to
> sit through what should be a sublime transition between
> symphonic movements waiting for the shifting, rustling,
> crinkling, and coughing up of major organs before the
> performance could continue.
>
I had to smile at this, because as an audience member who takes a medicine that gives me the occasional nasty tickle and dry cough, I have had to choose between opening the cough drop and coughing up a major organ.
> It is the responsibility of us as parents to make our children
> part of the audience. If they are conducting themselves as
> responsible concertgoers then they have every right to be
> there.
Yup, and furthermore, how are kids supposed to learn how to behave at a concert if you don't even feel welcome at an open rehearsal! Let alone how are they going to learn to enjoy and appreciate the music if they aren't welcomed.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Alseg
Date: 2005-07-14 17:50
The 9 DVD set of Bernstein's Young Peoples Concerts is now available.
3 concerts per DVD
That is a lot of bang for the buck.
Perhaps your kidlings would enjoy them without the intrussion of the old f__ts.
One thing I noticed ....take a look at the kids and parents attending these concerts c. 1958- . Dress and demeanor have changed considerably since then. Also look at the ethnic composition of the audience....remember that this is 1958. Cars had fins. We had a cold war and sputnik. Copland was considered the quintesstial American composer. No mention of Joplin, a cusory glance at jazz, with little reference to its roots in African-American culture.
Paragraph one belongs in this thread. Paragraph #2 is a whole 'nother discussion.
Comments?
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-07-14 18:03
Regarding cough drop and candy-paper rustling, orchestras should do what the Indianapolis Symphony does -- have a bin in the lobby filled with free cough drops wrapped in non-rustling paper.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-07-14 23:08
Great insights.
I love the idea of a lobby quartet. I'm going to try to do that at our fall concert. Might be a good place for some nervous players to get some experience, too.
As far as being told that you're unwelcome, be assertive in your retaliation. It might be worth a little rehearsal so that you can be spontaneous without being outright insulting.
Bob Phillips
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2005-07-14 23:35
Unfortunately that old cow who put you off your concert experience was probably a very wealthy philanthropist ...
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2005-07-15 15:47
Moses: "p.s. Thou shalt not be intolerant."
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
