November 30, 2008
Clapping between movements, and others classical music blunders
At a classical music conert, when someone starts clapping at the wrong time-either between movements or sometimes when you thought it was over but oops, they're still playing-other audience members frown, wondering what's wrong with them, don't they know any better. I'm guilty of it myself. Heck, it bothers me when people don't let the last note ring in the hall for a second or let the conductor put down his or her baton before starting to clap. Does this make me a snob? Perhaps. I'd prefer to think of it as I like my musical experience to be complete and interrupted. Sometimes it's an easy mistake to make-you just get to excited and it feels like a big climax, it's natural that when the sound stops, you want to clap-but nope, classical music has rules people. And you should learn them!
But what about the people who are new to the arts scene? Who decided to go hear a concert for once instead of wondering what it would be like? Without embracing new audiences, people ready to learn and absorb music and new ideas, the classical music industry can't survive, so it needs to be careful to not be too elitist. I've been to concerts where there are some discrete notes about concert etiquette and I think that's great-instead of staring at people doing the wrong thing, who don't know any better, give them a chance and I bet they'll figure it out. My high school band director used to do this and it really helped-although my father still complains about the rude audience members sitting around him who talk during concerts or rustle papers or sometimes, just insisted on coming even though they had to cough up a lung ever few seconds. But there is certainly a difference between etiquette and these examples of certainly rude behavior, one that it is important to note.
This whole thing about fear, what's that about? The arts are such a rewarding experience-fear has no place, unless as an emotional response to a work of art (sometimes those Symphonies can be terrifying!) But I guess I can relate. There's a social stigma surrounding the arts where you're just expected to know things. If you're a musician, you should be able to recognize a classical piece within say 30 seconds, or name the orchestra playing, or even, who's the conductor, or in my case, who is playing principal clarinet? How could you just know all these things off the top of your head? You couldn't. I think this expectation is a reflex-I'm guilty myself, where I play something on my computer and seem surprised when a friend doesn't immediately recognize it as say Scheherezade or New World Symphony. It's like duh-I know this, why don't you? But that's not good. There should be no fear or anxiety from not knowing, because by identifying what you don't know, you learn, and then next time you do! So sorry, to all those people who I've offended by assumptions or frowned at for clapping at the wrong time-I'm so appreciative of the fact that you care enough to come and learn. But next time-well, now you know better.
Posted by srelder at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2008
The Unsung Success of Classical Music?
Sometimes I'm afraid it's much too easy to get sucked into the pessimism surrounding the current financial state of arts organizations. In the past year, multiple smaller orchestras have declared bankruptcy or have acknowledged huge losses and shrinking budgets. But is this true across the board? Is there still hope out there for the future of classical music? Or is it a dying art, with audiences getting increasing smaller and older?
In his article in the WSJ, Leon Botstein paints a very positive picture for future orchestras, accompanied by a few suggestions for success. As someone who frequently attends concerts, either by the Detroit Symphony or various groups brought in by the University Musical Society, from La Philharmonia de la Scala to the San Francisco Symphony, I acknowledge that yes, audiences are made up mostly of older adults, but they always have been-this is not a new trend. And at the UMS concerts here, one can find a plethora of students drawn in not only by decreased ticket prices but by the value of hearing the phenomenal groups live. The same goes for the DSO, which is pioneering a new ticketing program for anyone under 37, allowing them to get fantastic seats for just $11 to almost any concert. By eliminating the issue of price, both organizations are able to show that there is an intrinsic demand for high quality live music, it just has to be accessible.
Botstein's early examples in the article of packed concerts involve places like Vienna-where classical music is not an adults-only tradition, but one that has been embraced by the general public for hundreds of years. What we have to do is translate that appreciation to the US. There are more musicians than ever-certainly more than could ever get jobs in good orchestras, even with the increase in orchestras, and to me, that says that classical music can thrive, it just needs to get through financial issues and find innovative ways to get beyond budget constraints caused by slacking ticket sales. It's encouraging to see someone so well-respected with a positive outlook on the future, which makes it much easier for me to keep one as well.
Posted by srelder at 04:25 PM | Comments (0)