HOW TO get more out of a concert

B

Blot

New Member
No, no.

There arn't any magic answers here....................yet!

Read thread by Soppy that talked of only 50 people at a concert near Ely.


Q1: what elements make up a good concert, incl. attendance?

Q2: what things make a bad concert?, incl. the listeners, too.

Q3: what do we do to make sure this/these happen (1) or don't happen (2)?

I have some ideas but let's hear it from tMP fraternity - come on, you can do it. Just register. Click the little "reply" button. Don't be shy.....that's it......go on.......
 
A

A J Foad

Member
The short term answer, as someone mentioned in the previous thread is to invite a local choir or youth band to boost the audience. Nothing like friends & family to quadruple your audience figures. In the long term that's not going to make people hungry for listening to a band.

I wonder if it's a question of culture? In Britain we don't seem to promote culture too well. If a band of bizarre instruments from India or Peru or somewhere was playing in the local town hall we don't all flock down there to listen to what potentially could be a delightful experience. We seem to treat it with indifference. I'm told (and I would welcome input from our overseas friends) that people in other countries (maybe not all) regularly attend all manner of concerts purely to broaden their cultural experience.

In Britain concertgoers are largely made up of people who, maybe subconciously, wish to be seen at various venues - the 'Oh, I went to the opera last night' syndrome! Perhaps 'Oh I went to the Dumplington Colliery Workmens' Institute Brass Band last night' doesn't have the same appeal for them!!

I'm sure many of us have performed at band concerts where the audience clap, cheer, give standing ovations etc. If you give an enjoyable programme and play well, then you're on to a winner. The problem is, that that particular audience don't then turn up to the next concert, and the next. Perhaps they see it as a novelty thing......??

If you go and listen to your local professional orchestra, you will see the same people in the audience week in week out. Perhaps bands should put on a series of concerts in a local venue - every Thursday night for a month for example. It might create an attitude of 'Oh I went to a cracking band concert last night - there's another one next week would you like to come?' I realise that there are likely to be financial constraints, but if nothing else it'd work wonders for the band's playing!

As for programme - a nice balance of easily accessible pieces, and slip a couple of testpieces in. Really show off what bands can do!
 
leisa

leisa

Active Member
lynchie said:
Dance while playing... in the park... in a fountain... with ladies in bikinis...
Click to expand...

what about men???? hmmm y'cant tell your from youth brass 2000 at all!! :p :twisted: :p
 
lynchie

lynchie

Active Member
i think maybe they'd be running in the other direction...

anyway... back to the subject... how about a robbie williams style "Swing when your winning" concert with all the old big band favourites? Themed concerts usually drag more people in!
 
M

Morghoven

Member
A J Foad said:
If you go and listen to your local professional orchestra, you will see the same people in the audience week in week out. Perhaps bands should put on a series of concerts in a local venue - every Thursday night for a month for example. It might create an attitude of 'Oh I went to a cracking band concert last night - there's another one next week would you like to come?' I realise that there are likely to be financial constraints, but if nothing else it'd work wonders for the band's playing!

As for programme - a nice balance of easily accessible pieces, and slip a couple of testpieces in. Really show off what bands can do!
Click to expand...

Not just professional orchestras. I used to play for an amateur orchestra on a regular basis, and the same people were in the audience at all of their half-dozen concerts per year. If we want a following, we have to make ourselves 1) worth following and 2) easy to follow. Regular concerts in a set venue - newsletters - theme nights - different things work better in different situations.

And yes yes yes programme test pieces. Orchestras programme symphonies on a regular basis - I've played a couple of symphonies that were twice as long as the longest test piece I've ever heard, and audiences sit through them...and enjoy them. Now I'm not suggesting we start them on 'Prague' - although we (Staffs) did give that a pre-Areas run-out and the audience even clapped at the end! - but we are seriously underestimating the music intelligence of our audiences if we think they can't cope with Wilby, Sparke or Ball, or many other great composers. In my experience, SA bands are always ready to programme major works, and so should contesting bands.

But possibly the most important thing is that we have to stick at it. Building a good audience base doesn't happen overnight, and there will almost certainly be some trial and error involved...but there is no point in playing if we haven't got anyone to listen!

Dave
 
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