The Knight Foundation has published a follow-up briefing to its massive study of classical music audiences. Bridging the Gap is a 16-page treatment of the full study report, but offers a nice segmentation model for orchestras (and any arts organization) to hone their strategies for engaging a wider audience.
The brief reinforces the primary disconnect the original Knight study identified, between a larger population that has a connection to classical music, and the small subset of that group that actually explore that connection at live events:
Roughly 10 to 15 percent of American adults have what might be termed a close or moderately close relationship with classical music, and again as many have weaker ties to the art form. This translates into tens of millions of people with some interest in the art form.
But here¹s the catch: Only half of those who express the very highest levels of preference for classical music actually attend symphony orchestra concerts, even infrequently.
