From another Eastman student

For a perhaps related idea, see the 43 Folders article on Jonathan Coulton (http://www.43folders.com/2007/05/13/nyt-coulton/) and the NY Times article that inspired it (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/magazine/13audience-t.html?pagewanted=all).

One thing that's always mystified me about classical musicians is how they'll record a CD and then tour with programs that make no reference to the CD whatsoever. It's like they don't even want to sell the things. Then we hear endless hand-wringing about how classical CD sales are slipping. I plan to make fun of this as much as possible.

If you think you're mystified, you should talk to concert presenters. I've heard them say, with utter puzzlement, that jazz musicians always tour with CDs for sale, but that classical musicians almost never do that.

I do know one experiment with this that failed. When Riccardo Chailly was recording Mahler symphonies, his record company, Decca, got involved in promoting a tour in which Chailly played the Mahler Fifth (I think), at the same time that the recording was released. I'm told that sales of the CD didn't rise, but I wonder if anyone involved really knew how to promote concerts and CD together.

Reminds me of a Facbook note I just wrote up called "How Come Classical Musicians Don't Do the T-Shirt Thing"

Basic premise of the note: one of the things fans love is merch, specifically stuff they can wear that says "I like this band" ... consequently, in rock or metal or punk or whatever, most of the bands' fans have band shirts, which does publicity for them and gives them money... personally, I think it would be damn cool to have like a Yo-Yo Ma shirt or a NY Philharmonic hat or something ...

but anyway, I agree with the quoted student's sentiments, eccept that I'm way more likely to go to a "pop" show than a classical show... there's just so much more energy..

You can buy orchestra gear of various kinds, from many leading orchestras. But it's mostly lame. I'd be embarrassed to wear it. The gear problem, then, turns out to be part of a larger image problem, which might be expressed this way: "Who do we think we are, and who are we appealing to?" If the answers turn out to be, "We're a great orchestra, and we appeal to well-off, respectable art lovers," then of course the gear will be lame.

Good for your nerdy friend. But someone needs to turn her on to the White Stripes or the Kaiser Chiefs. Good Charlotte suck!