Concert in 21st Century

We are so fortunate to live in the time of more concerts then ever and with so many wonderful musicians around the world. Yet the concert format has remained remarkably similar for about 100 years. Ironically we often play music that is more then 200 years old, so what tradition are we protecting exactly?

Concert has 4 essential components – music, performers, place and an audience.

Everything else is elective and up for questioning – time, length, programming, placement of performers and audience within the space, atmosphere, pricing etc. Equally importantly – one size does not fit all. What may be right for Manhattan may not work for Akron or even Queens. It is good to look at the larger picture and see how our concert fits the schedule of the customer (and I use that word on purpose)– are they coming from work, or from home; will they eat before or after? If we want to attract that coveted 25-55 age group, they work long hours and we should think how we can fit better into their schedule and not the other way around.

With that in mind, first component I would diversify is time and length. For instance - a 60 minute program with no intermission at 7pm, a glass of wine with performers and fellow audience members afterwards, dinner and home by 11pm. And that’s just one of many options.

There is no simple recipe for good programming, but there is one important fact that we should never forget – we are programming for audience, not for ourselves. Let’s compare it to food – would you like to have a steak, hamburger and meatloaf in one meal? It would probably be more interesting to contrast it with some spicy greens. That’s how I think of programming – not what would look good on the page or to make a point, but what would be enjoyable to experience in real time.

It’s great to see classical music concerts in different types of venues – clubs, galleries, restaurants, etc. New space should be an invitation to creative solutions about placement of performers and audience and about the atmosphere of the event. Once there is no set stage and auditorium, everything is a choice we can make. Perhaps we don’t need to recreate the concert hall set up at all costs. Instead let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses of each space and work with that.

We need to present various concert formats. There is nothing wrong with a two hour concert by Evgeny Kissin or Vienna Philharmonic. They are our 6 course chef’s tasting menu. But I also enjoy a simple meal at a local trattoria or a great burger and a glass of Burgundy. Let’s diversify our offerings in the same way, so concerts are something we go to on a regular basis and not something we do only on special occasions.

Lastly, we are so fortunate to share this incredible art form with people all over the world. But, let’s relax. We don’t cure cancer (unfortunately!) and concert shouldn’t feel like a sermon. What exactly is wrong about clapping after the first movement of the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto? Do you really think that Tchaikovsky wrote that exciting ending to get no reaction? As Liberace said “would I dress this way if I didn’t want to be noticed?”