MUSIC ED AND ORCHESTRAL AUDIENCES

posted by James Reel

More comments are rolling in following my column detailing why I’m no longer a Tucson Symphony season subscriber. Here’s a missive from a friend; I’ll quote her anonymously, since I haven’t gotten clearance to reveal her identity:

The second summer I ushered at the Hollywood Bowl I noticed the orchestra was playing many of the same pieces they played the summer before. I looked at past schedules ten years back and again they were playing many of the same pieces. I inquired why the orchestra did not play more of a variety of music. Why didn't they play recent compositions, exposing people to the idea that classical music lives on? I received this answer: The majority of people purchasing tickets want to hear what they already know. The orchestra needs to support itself. If they play music few people know on a regular basis they will have a small audience. Now, I like _Rhapsody in Blue_ and _Fiddle Faddle_ like everyone else, but I was a little disappointed with this answer. Jim and I have attended concerts at the Disney music hall in L.A. The acoustics are so good the musicians have difficulty concentrating. In the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion the music went out into the hall and stayed there. In the Disney hall the music comes back to the stage, making it difficult for the musicians to continue playing, for the music they just played is returned to them. Honestly, I'd rather the city or county pay police and fireman a higher wage, and hire more of them for that matter, or pave the streets in my neighborhood, or finish the road work at the hospital we visit every day, than spend the money on a new music hall. If the money for all of these endeavors was there I'd be all for it. Unfortunately, the money that is there is wasted in bureaucracy and pet activities for those who have the best lobbying efforts. A consideration, when discussing introducing kids to classical music, is the competition. With the exception of orchestral and band students, classical music just isn't cool but rather boring. Most young people listen to bubblegum sexy pop music, not because they like the music, but for the visualization that has become attached to it, and the fact that that music is all they’re exposed to. I doubt the _Lord of the Rings_ concert was attend by so many kids because they liked the music. The novelty of their favorite adventure story drew most of them in and I'm sure the parents couldn't resist. The concert was accompanied by a view screen behind the orchestra showing drawings of the different scenes from the movie, and although they were well done it did take away from the pure listening pleasure of the experience. Through my experience in the classroom I've come to understand that kids are not encouraged to use their imaginations. All the visual is provided for them. When it comes to unadulterated listening, many do not have the skills to put their own visualizations to the music and lose interest quickly. This is not true of all children, of course, but this is what I experienced while teaching. When I was an orchestral student in the late ’80s and early ’90s I learned the fundamentals of music: melody, harmony, how to read a score, theory and so on. We listened to classical music as much as we played it. An elementary music teacher I know recently left the classroom, for she was spending more time on discipline and begging her students to practice than teaching the basics, allowing students to enjoy the music they were playing. Spending time listening to music and pointing out the aspects that make it interesting was considered a waste of time. What is my point with all of this? Maybe it's the devil’s advocate in me. I don't necessarily agree with all the points I'm making, rather just looking at the reality of the situation. I know your opinion comes from a much more musically educated point of view then my own, but when discussing the programming chosen for the orchestra, I think it is important to take the financial situation into consideration. How can this situation be changed? Encourage young people to listen to music rather than watch it. Teach the basics in school or private lessons along with the playing of the instrument, allowing them to appreciate what they are playing. As you mentioned, lower the ticket prices so those under 30 can afford an evening of culture. Play the classical music stations in the car.