 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-09-08 23:47
So what's happening in other countries to keep young audiences coming to live orchestral concerts? What does Europe have that North America doesn't? A post a few days ago piqued my curiosity and I'd like to get more opinions of what can realistically be done.
To "prime the pump" I should mention some action that we're taking locally - small steps, granted. Canada Council has promted Canadian orchestras to be imaginative and come up with initiatives. These orchestras are to try things and then report back annually.
Science has proven that whatever a child is exposed to while very young stays with him/her their whole lifetime. Published scientific research showing pictures of actual CAT scans show the physical changes in a brain when exposed to early classical music training. Brain connections are established that otherwise aren't there. Also, preferences for styles of music, voices, tastes, etc. are established in these primary years. So we need to reach very young children. I volunteer with our city's Philharmonic Orchestra. Locally we've begun to address this issue, trying even to reach prenatal classes, pre-schools, and others.
Small groups of young music students can be asked to play briefly in the lobby of the concert hall while the patrons arrive for the concert. Concerts designed for children are an annual event. These bring in the children and parents who otherwise wouldn't be there. Visits to elementary schools by one to three orchestra musicians who play together with the children in class gives them personal contact with these "important people" who they would hear playing at the Nutcracker performance in December.
But what happened in the homes years ago that caused today's older audience to enjoy classical music? And what differences are there world wide today? Television and computer games are part of the reason and school funding cutbacks are another. What more can be done to try to re-introduce classical music to more of the young ones?
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-09-09 00:37
Brenda - the Sydney Symphony has a yearly series of concerts called "Symphony in the Park" - these are tremendously popular with the "great unwashed" - as to whether these people then sit down and say - "Hey, let's get a subscripion to the Symphony" remains to be proved.
The one thing it has done has put the SSO firmly in the public arena as most people I speak with know of these and almost all people I've spoken to have attended at least one of them. Unfortunately the programming is rather boring and (for that reason) I don't attend them. I'm much happier at the 20th century music series.
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Author: twice shy
Date: 2002-09-09 01:16
The Portland (Oregon) Symphony has a successful series called "nerve endings" that is geared to the Gen-X crowd. One concert last season was the Verdi Requiem set in the scene of a World War II concentration camp and paralleled an actual performance at one of the camps. I think things like this and the ideas Brenda mentioned are great and much needed.
I also have a theory that I can leave for anyone to shoot down. My observation is that as people grow older, they become to appreciate classical music more. Their taste becomes more varied and they seek out classical music on their own. Our older population are also more likely to have the funds and the time to take in orchestra concerts. I wonder about all the white hair in the audiences I play for, too, but I have faith of new supplies of white hair always coming along.
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-09-09 03:43
Dear Brenda.
I really think the way to go is in the schools as early as possible. Sadly it seems we live in an age where recordings and cds have replaced the focus of attending concerts. I also hope that orchestras would also do some of the things that make orchestras great.
I would hope too that funding would also be given to areas that need it, poorer regions where education and concerts are sparse will do much to create interest. i am sure there are all kinds of towns and places here in Canada where no one has heard a live orchestra.
It seems now we have so many things competing for our attention that "We" are losing some of ability to see just how much music means to society. Orchestras also can do much in the way of promoting the music of the regions they serve, yet I don't see too much of it Canada. By this I mean music of composers from the areas they live in. Again, alot of it comes down on that the money is not there to serve composers or artists, unless of course they go in debt for their art and this is the whole tragedy of the arts scene in North America. In Europe state funding provides so much more of a footing for artists to create. I would hasten to add many Artistic organizations are in a bad state due to the lack of community, provincial and federal support.
Sincerely D Dow
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Author: RGA
Date: 2002-09-09 18:58
The waning interest in classical music is, in my opinion, a result of an inability to comprehend the forms of classical music. I know a number of people who list classical music among their choices of music, but they don't attend classical concerts and their classical recordings actually consist of "best of" CD's that contain one or even only part of a movement from a number of larger works. Few of these recordings actually contain a complete symphony or concerto, for example.
I've always thought there's an interesting comparison to be drawn against literature: people read for enjoyment in much the same way that we would expect them to listen to classical music for enjoyment, but seldom does a person decide to read only a single, selected chapter from a novel. Why is it that people can separate a movement or even a single theme from a musical work, but they don't do the same for a novel? I think the answer lies in the fact that we don't educate young people about "musical comprehension" in the same way that we do "reading comprehension."
I think this fact hints that the lack of interest in classical music might actually be a result of a lack of understanding of musical forms and, e.g., how the movements (chapters) tie in to the symphony (novel) as a whole.
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-09-09 19:35
Ah, yes, I knew you'd come up with some profound thoughts. Very helpful!
Lack of comprehension - sure, I feel that way myself. One of our most successful classical concerts was two years ago this month. We presented "Pictures at an Exhibition". The conductor asked us if we could display, in the lobby of the concert hall, the pictures upon which this was based. We tried, and soon found out that they no longer exist. However, my clarinet teacher told me that reproductions were hanging in the Univ.of Toronto since the 70's! We got permission from the Dean to borrow the pictures for the weekend.
The artist had had the same idea thirty years ago. Since nothing was available, he decided to paint them himself based on the two pictures found in a magazine, and a translation of the Russian description of the artwork. We asked the artist to attend the concert and before the piece was played to give a brief description of how the pictures tied into the music. (Before the concert I was asked to approach patrons and offer to explain the 10 pictures, and also the promenade between most of the sections.) The audience was on its feet enmasse as the last notes were dying down, and there were three curtain calls! They understood the music that night. Before leaving the hall so many came back to get a second look at the pictures. We'll try something similar with the Rhenish Symphony this year.
I agree, the older we get the more we seem to appreciate the depth of classical music. But only, I think, if we've been exposed to plenty of it during youth, even if it is through Bugs Bunny. We've got to reach those babies!
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Author: Robert
Date: 2002-09-10 07:02
RGA wrote:
"I've always thought there's an interesting comparison to be drawn against literature: people read for enjoyment in much the same way that we would expect them to listen to classical music for enjoyment"
I don't think one can compare reading for enjoyment with listening to classical music. Most people don't read classical literature for enjoyment. The kind of novels that they read would be better compared with popular music.
However, I agree that to appreciate the classics (music or literature) one needs a certain level of understanding and exposure.
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Author: RGA
Date: 2002-09-10 12:30
Robert wrote:
"I don't think one can compare reading for enjoyment with listening to classical music. Most people don't read classical literature for enjoyment. The kind of novels that they read would be better compared with popular music."
That's true, but regardless of what type of literature they read, people will devote their attention to it and (unless it's a particularly bad read) will read it through as a single work. Doing so usually requires an extended period of time devoted to reading, even for current popular novels. This time might be broken into several reading sessions, but at the start of each session, the reader is picking up where he left off and understands the new material in the context of what has already been read. The same is not true for current popular music: people want their music to come in a 3-5 minute sound byte, then on to the next, unrelated, 3-5 minute sound byte.
For whatever reason, the investment that people are willing make to read far exceeds the investment they're willing to make to listen to music, popular or otherwise.
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Author: Robert
Date: 2002-09-10 15:15
RGA, I'm sorry to disagree again!
"the investment that people are willing make to read far exceeds the investment they're willing to make to listen to music, popular or otherwise."
The huge industry of popular music shows that people are putting quite an investment (of time and money) into their music. If you speak with any popular music producer you'll discover that it is the commercial radio stations, rather than the listeners, that want the music in 3-5 minute sound bytes.
But I do agree with your idea that people don't understand the forms of classical music. Breaking up a novel into several reading sessions can't really be applied to listening to a symphony though.
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Author: Brandon
Date: 2002-09-11 16:55
I think that a large percentage of people don't really want to go and hear new music. They want to hear pieces they are familiar with. If the orchestra is playing a piece by new composer x, the audience will be smaller than if Beethoven 5 is being played. People want to be in a comfort zone, and new music takes them out of their comfort zones. Now certainly that is not the case for EVERY concert. But even in the ensemble I play in, if the ensemble is doing standards, the audience is larger than if we play off the wall new stuff.
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-09-11 22:06
Our orchestra has toyed with the idea of say bringing in Led Zep or even another heavy metal band, and that I would say may sell out. Ticket sales generally pay for about 1/3 of the total cost of running orchestras, so when sales are bad...everyone suffers. Of course i don't expect John Bonham to show up!
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-09-12 13:23
Brandon's comment about people not wanting to hear new stuff is so true. That, of course, happened to Beethoven, Grieg, Stravinsky, and everyone else when they wrote new music. It was the odd piece that was accepted at once.
Our orchestra includes world premieres of "local" composers into programs of better-known music. We neither lead nor end with these new compositions. Actually, one brand new piece was very well accepted by our audience. We had a Young Composers contest, and several pieces were submitted by those 21 years of age and younger. All submitted pieces were played in front of an audience who came strictly for that purpose, and both the audience and the orchestra voted on which one to play in the concert program. The winner was the favourite of both groups. And what an interesting piece it was! On the night of the premiere the young composer explained to the concert audience his thoughts and the symbolism behind what would be heard (audience comprehension), then it was played. It was beautiful!
Pops music is successful and reaches a different group. But some things shouldn't be toyed with. The classics, even new pieces, are just that. Those with a trained musical ear don't want to be played down to. An explanation from the stage from time to time can enhance the listening experience, though. This is why we have both a Pops series and a Performance series to serve both groups.
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-09-12 14:21
Dear Brenda : It seems so unfortuante though that pops concerts are what really bring the revenues in to keep alot of classical orchestras going. the Boston Pops I am sure is what keeps the boston Symphony going, and I would like say that pops concerts are a regular feature of every serious orchestra in the world except for places in Europe where the Berlin Philharmonic is so heavily funded they could play anything and because of their eminence would sell out anyway!
I really feel that it is in USA and Canada where problems are at the breaking point. Apparently the Montreal Symphony has a huge debt load, and even the Chicago Symphony is having funding problems. Lets face it, Orchestras are costly. You are paying 100 or so people and then have halls and concert programs and artists fees --and on top of that Conductor fees.
Much of the ways orchestras and arts groups have been run has to change. Groups must become far more community freindly and be involved in more than just music. The interaction between and audience and an ensemble wotrks both ways. Education concerts usually are done in the schools and what the statistics are on this I am not sure. Introducing music at a young age of this genre is important, but the fact sxchools cut so much music education in recent years we are going to have trouble even finding muscicians...
The success of arts organizations like Symphonic orchestras comes down to dollars and cents. If the culture no longer values them they certainly are going the way of the dinosaur. Pops concerts are effective in that they can also introduce light classics to a wider audiences, and maybe we will see more of a benefit of this in later years.
Orchestras and funding are so tough that many boards have to "toy" with the concept of what an orchestrs " is" , becuasue of the total lack of funding and support. This support is not just financial, but also in terms of whether or not communities really care. Most major groups rely on fundraing to the point that they burn out these people 'fundraising volunteers'...it's not really healthy to have this happen.
The value of Orchestra in our society is evolving when you consider how much sports and even the internet drain from this potentioal audience. Yet society is willing to pay alot for the price of a ball game or lockey even but not for an orchestral concert!
I will also say the formula of gathering support for orchestras through pops concerts is quite old and yet I will say orchestra's are not done with it. However trying to bring them in to a Shostakovich concert is another story!
Sincerely
D Dow
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-09-15 01:27
David - Thanks for your observations, they seem to come from an experienced musician.
With this new project started by Canada Council, their thoughts are to generate future audiences besides reaching current audiences. We often don't know the impact of what we do now, until years later when the consequenses finally come full circle. They can be pleasing! There's a lot of work to do, but we can't become discouraged. We have to plug away, share ideas and keep reaching new generations while genuinely welcoming those who do arrive at concerts. That's the job of not only the musicians, but the volunteers, too.
To illustrate what happens with kids: We have 4 kids, only 2 are left at home. They've been raised on a mix of all kinds of music and have training in piano and other instruments of their choice. They like the top 40 hits, like the other kids in their school. The other day I turned off the radio and played the Lion King CD. My son told me that he had forgotten how good the music is. He then went to the stereo and played another CD of a sound track that has powerful orchestral music. This is the one who, with his brother, will reduce the lighting and sit between both speakers in order to listen to Rachmoninov and don't want to be disturbed while it's on. So, once the bug has bitten, it's there. We just have to keep guiding them from time to time to remind them of the beauty and power of orchestral music. This is why I feel the young ones need to be reached, often and gently.
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