Where is the Audience?

​I want to spend a little time this week expanding a topic I briefly mentioned in my last blog. In observing some recent programming from my local orchestra, I started contemplating where the issue of dwindling audiences for orchestras is coming from. It’s not bad programming or a lack of understanding about what the word concerto means. I believe the problem is a lot more widespread, and it encompasses more fields than just music. The following are just some thoughts I’ve been mulling over. If you have any ideas about solutions or other causes, I’m always happy to discuss and learn.

The rapid shift towards an “orchestra as a business” model has brought temporary relief to the industry, but does not complement the heart of an artistic medium. It’s true that it’s one of the few models that is allowed to succeed at the moment, but I can’t help but see how opposed it is to what music should be. Rather than centering around collaboration and community, the business model often focuses on how to convince a hard pressed consumer-base to pay them. There's no relationship, it's purely transactional. Art shouldn’t be only accessible to those of considerable means, it shouldn’t be callously guarded by a select few who can “understand it”, and it shouldn’t be beholden to the influences of any single perspective.

Yes, different attempts at marketing and newer fresher programming can help significantly–simply compare the turnout numbers of a program of film music to one of the typical classical concerts. Programming that the audience relates to, by artists of today, is a huge plus. However, and it hurts my biased “I want my pieces to get played” composer heart to say this, these are only surface-level solutions to a deeper problem. The fundamental issue is that our current economic and political system runs contrary to the idea of allowing the average person time and money to enjoy the “luxury” of classical music. We are currently in an economic crisis, and making music in a system antithetical to our art form. We can’t expect people struggling to meet bills to shell out money for a ticket. Ergo why our main benefactors are solely the people who don’t.

You might be thinking that nothing can be done to solve this problem. There’s nothing orchestras can do, especially with their being beholden to the very people who often don’t see this system as a problem. However, I disagree. I think that the power to change the current model is in each of us as individual musicians. We can apply considerable political pressure if we work together, and it’s time we start fighting–if not for the sake of basic human rights, then for the selfish desire to give our audience the time and money they need to enjoy a concert in peace. I’m hoping to explore exact ways to do that in coming blogs: drafting messages you can simply copy and paste to representatives or read out over the phone, finding specific organizations working towards this end and showing how you can support them, and giving a run down on certain political positions that could help us in our goals.

Imagine how much the arts would flourish if political policy changed from protecting the status quo to supporting the well-being of the average person? If the average music lover (basically everyone… on earth) had access to more disposable income? If they didn’t need to spend every second working? I would bet everything that concert halls would be filled. People would be out searching for things to do with their time, finally having a chance to enjoy the life we all deserve. 

Okay, okay, so in the meantime, before we fix this mess, what can be done? Well, that’s one of the main reasons I got the idea to write this

(www.linkedin.com/company/pittsburgh-symphony-orchestra/)

The PSO (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra) has recently introduced a program in which they tried to take this problem on directly. The “Courage to Stand” program tried a different approach for selling tickets. They designated a night which opened up the entire hall to audiences. Prices were set at a low minimum and people could pay however much they wanted above that amount. A pay-what-you-can model. The result? The hall was no more filled than at any other classical concert, if not a little more empty. However, I left the concert considering it a success! Why?

I stopped looking at the number of people in attendance and started to look at who was in attendance. Almost everyone walking in the door had never stepped foot in the hall before. Many had never heard an orchestra live. A great majority of attendees were people who had never felt welcomed in a hall like this. Entire families from all different walks of life discovering this music for the first time. That’s why it was a success. It was reaching a group of people that venues like this have had their back on for a long time. The audience of the future. The one we should be focused on inviting more often. I think many orchestras would do well to follow this example. Thank you again for reading, please share any thoughts you may have, and as always, happy jamming!