I’ve posted something new on my website — a piece about the orchestra audience that I wrote a year ago for Symphony magazine (published by the American Symphony Orchestra League). I said that orchestras (and just about all classical music groups of any kind) treat the audience as something passive. It’s supposed to buy tickets, maybe donate some money, maybe volunteer to help out here and there, and otherwise receive great music in passive, reverent silence. (Followed, of course, by thankful applause.)
This, I think, is bad for business, bad for art, and also not so great for plain old human decency. Shouldn’t orchestras treat the people in their audience as equals, and find ways to get them actively involved?
I hope you’ll read my piece, and tell me what you think.
Recent Comments
Brian Hughes on The Monday post
Greg- Several months ago I posted on my blog a sort of "contest" for best performances of my favorite aria, Nessun...Ariel on The Friday post
It would be of interest if Mr. Barnhill would define his interpretation "wonderful take " concerning the Rite...richard on The Friday post
" It’s a new era, and there’s no reason a digital organ can’t sound fabulous. I can imagine that many...KDjupdal on A quiet thought
Here is an article summing up the debate: http://www.klassekampen.no/61549/article/item/null/-klassisk-musikk-i-krise (in norwegian, but you can use google translate) What was your impression of the...Eric Barnhill on The Friday post
If I may post re last Friday's Friday post, readers may be interested in this wonderful take on the Rite...