CU Ideas for improving the Symphony

Listed here, in no particular order, are what I could glean as constructive ideas and suggestions from several discussions about the CSO at Columbus Underground, a local news and information site where 30 somethings gather to discuss current issues and hang out online. It's obvious that the musicians need to reach out to these up and coming folks, who, despite their feisty attitudes, are eager to support an orchestra which is streamlined and flexible and willing to cater to the tastes of particular crowds.

The original posts and discussions are:
Can the Columbus Symphony be Cool?
Columbus Symphony on the Brink
Columbus Symphony: Could it really die?
Symphony shuts down for summer, future in doubt and one I started
Columbus Needs a Symphony.

Symphonic music more integrated with the community - not a fixed, archaic and overly-costly venue - is the first step.

-Dynamic programming created by linkage with other arts groups instead of isolation as "The Symphony."

-And on the same vein, thinking in new ways like programming in themes or events instead of the staid format where things are isolated. Eg - have a theme like Valentine's Day (to be cheesey) and make an event which combines the Pops elements w/ the classical and more.

More generally, I guess I envision something like a musician-owned-operated symphony having a vested interest in promoting itself, engaging the community and having a real stake in its future instead of leaving in the hands of tiered-off management.

- Fewer shows, always high quality
- Plays shows in venues it can sell out (and afford)
- Good, interactive marketing tactics with online utilization (see Whodunit? from last season)
- Open and clean branding (CSO has had three logos in three years)
- Know their budget and capabilities (lay offs when the ballet is off season; Sleeping Beauty gets 2 shows, Nutcracker gets 23)
- Good mix of modern, popular, and classic styles (appeals to all without alienating anyone)
- The fun/passion they have is palpable - and it's passed on to the audience. That's an intangible generated by the company, and it's something the symphony has clearly lost. In this town, I think people come just BECAUSE it's the ballet. You can't say that about the CSO.

Columbus is an event city. The shows have to be bigger to sell a house like the Ohio. Columbus doesn't have a mid-sized theatre at 1,500 seats in the downtown area, and that hurts a lot of these arts organizations. I mean, the Ohio is 700 seats larger than the Cleveland Orchestra's Severance Hall. Anything less than 1,500 in attendance looks positively barren.

Maybe they can play in Newport or Skully's? I would be more likely to go then. CSO sounds pretty arrogant like a motorist demanding that he risk my well-being so he will not be inconvenienced.

From my perspective though, it would be much more entertaining (and much lower overhead) to have say, a 35-piece crack ensemble capable of doing much more avant-garde works by original composers. Obviously the draw would be less broad€¦but I think the people that were attracted to this concept would be more loyal and passionate. Or at least I certainly would. I love music, but the CSO to me is like seeing a cover band that plays all the hits and is background music, versus being a creative, innovative force that demands your attention.

Seriously, if a small orchestral group with some creative instrumentation got together and did some of say, Frank Zappa's scores (Yellow Shark anyone?), I'm sure they'd be able to draw well even at the LC. They could mix in some Boulez or Stravinsky and some more "out there" stuff and hopefully re-connect with a younger potential audience.

First step is to kill the venue. Not only are facility costs way out of bounds, but the place itself just screams 'dead white males!' Cramped and uncomfortable seating that creaks when you move.

Hold concerts on multiple nights instead of a one-time shot. Integrate them with other cultural activities or events. Promote dinner and symphony with either an early start time or a late one.

Recognize that your audience is both sophisticated in term of the variety of things they are exposed to, but many of them are also totally naive about classical music.

Re-think the whole classical concert. This is an entertainment that hasn't changed in hundreds of years. The whole passivity thing is just stifling and doubly so to audience members (Boomers too) who weaned on concerts. The whole atmosphere is a fossilized remnant of a dead past.

Break down the walls. Have the musicians interact with the audience during a break or after. Like above - stop make the music this passive, impersonal and lifeless experience where the music will carry. Face it - the talent pool of musicians capable of carrying the audience on the sheer power of the music is diminishing small and those with that talent go to big orchestras.

Along the same lines, CDs are killing the concert for lesser groups. Why should I pay top dollar to hear a non-top performance when I can buy the CD and hear the best? Part of this is a lack of education to understand how much variability there is in performance styles. (There is a brilliant film focusing on how Tilson-Thomas prepares for a piece which should be required watching.) But symphonies don't seem to appreciate that their audience can be educated. Provide meta-information w/ the booklet, a web link or just a little chat from the conductor.

I also think the challenge is wrapping the symphony around a larger affair. So instead of just doing the Symphony, it might be cool to have a nice dinner, maybe some pre-party mingling with some of the musicians, or something similar.

But, I think everyone can agree that getting actors/musicians/singers/dancers out into the community a little bit more for some one-on-one exposure, whether they are performing or simply doing a Q&A, is vital. Let John Q. Public know that these performers are everyday people with extraordinary talents and they should be proud to have them living and performing in this city. They're proud of their buckeyes and their bluejackets, they should be proud of these artists, too.

That's another great point I don't think a lot of people realize... "wouldn't it be great if they could just play/perform at this park, or this location, etc." That's MUCH easier said than done. Union rules stipulate the kinds of areas where musicians can play and performers can perform. They have to have a certain time allocated for warming up, proper stage size and sometimes proper flooring, it has to be the right temperature, the list goes on and on. Not to mention the production worker's union - the lighting designers, carpenters and other technicians responsible for setting up the proper environment.

That puts classical music at a distinct competitive disadvantage and has to change. If the unions are playing such a major role in preventing the orchestra from growing, innovating and changing, then they shouldn't complain when it all tanks.

Instead of a single performance of something like Beethoven's Ninth on one night in Columbus, have it travel. Be creative and run concurrent seasons in several cities or spin off a couple of chamber pieces or Pops.

Do the program notes ever have a piece by the conductor as to why he chose the piece, the tempo, the emphasis? Or something by the concertmaster about what it means for her to rally the orchestra around the piece or a particularly problematic section? No. There is no attempt to reach the audience and educate the audience. Arrogance of an elitist arts establishment.

The CSO should create the 43215 Outreach. Work with the developers and give 2 symphony tickets to everyone who buys/rents the new residential properties in the inner downtown. Promote that fact you can walk to it. "Stroll to Strauss." "Lope to Lizst." "Shuffle to Schoenberg." "Mosey to Mozart."

1. We are an entire generation that has had FAR more options with our entertainment as we've grown up than ever before. The Symphony never got nearly the marketing that pop culture did. So step one is just getting people to experience the Symphony. If you never go, there is no way you're going to pay $20 - $30 to try it out. This first step is no small problem.

2. At some point, assuming you do like the Symphony (which of course you may hate it) then you'll at least be in a better position to judge the value of it. My guess is that the Symphony will be more of a destination event - the type of thing you do after a nice dinner celebrating an important occasion. As part of that experience I would think you could justify the $30 p/ticket.

... I also think our generation "consumes" entertainment differently. We often wrap the event into a larger evening filled with dinners, pre-parties, and such.

1) Organize an event through local restaurants. You could have them assemble prix fixe menus and set up smaller ensembles to play during dinner. It could work really nicely at places like Barcelona, Due Amici, etc... Do it at 5 different restaurants on the same night with each getting a different ensemble and offering their own signature menu. You could even do it on Valentine's Day.

2) Have a Symphony Hop. I know the whole "Hop" thing is starting to get played out. Integrate smaller groups into each art gallery, bar, and restaurant and let people mill around as they please.

3) Do a show at North Bank Park. Set it up with the city to integrate this with Waterfire on the Mile (if they are ever going to do it again). The park could probably be cordoned off so that tickets could be sold. The gazebo can be open for hors d'oeuvers and drinks. I think I like this idea the best.