Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-09-27 07:23
I consider myself fortunate to have learned about and have attended a Chicago Symphony Orchestra Community outreach concert. This concert was given at a high school on Chicago's northwest side and was free and open to the public. The only hitch was that attendees needed to register for tickets through the CSOs ticket system. Once at the venue attendees needed to have their tickets scanned.
I believe this is the Chicago Symphony's effort to reverse the troubling trend of lower concert attendance by taking it to the people in their backyards. I see this as a long game hoping that younger folks and those that usually don't attend expensive concerts downtown would eventually become regular attendees years into the future.
Here is how serious the CSO is about this. Firstly, they brought their principal players. When I was a student there were "young peoples' concerts" but they involved mostly assistant players, subs and top private students of Chicago Symphony players.
Secondly, and perhaps most amazing, was that internationally renown conductor Riccardo Muti led the concert. This would have been relegated to an assistant conductor normally used for rehearsals and pops concerts.
Thirdly, the musical selection was challenging and meant lift the audience up rather than to condescend. The program consisted of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suite and the lesser performed Prokofiev Third Symphony.
This brings me to a big point four. The selections played required the orchestra to bring a contra bassoon, an alto saxophone, celeste, grand piano and an eighteen inch diameter brass bell (like the Liberty Bell!).
All this represented a lot of effort, money and sacrifice. They are doing their own market research by tracking attendees and they must feel this is as important as it could be affective.
Personally I've never thought much of orchestras that just perform dumbed down concerts such as, "an evening of John Williams," "Harry Potter Live," or "selections from your favorite video games."
Whadaya guys think about this? Can it work? Has Muti lost his mind?
..................Paul Aviles
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