All In The Timing
Whenever marketing types sit around a table and start talking about ways to attract a wider range of concertgoers (by which they generally mean "people under 40,") the subject of concert start times is bound to come up. Why does everything have to start at 7:30 or 8pm, they moan? Why, if only we played a few shorter concerts that started just as all the younger folk are getting out of work, and maybe served some food and drinks as well, why, we'd be beating off the youth demographic with a stick!
To me, this sounds dangerously close to dinner theater, which is to theater as Ashlee Simpson is to music. And I used to play in an orchestra that tried something like this, even offering up free booze themed to the program du jour (vodka for an all-Russian slate, champagne for French fare, etc.), and the whole thing went down like a lead balloon. Granted, the 20 or so people who bothered to show up for these concerts did appear to be younger than the average symphony crowd, but I'm not sure that made up for the fact that we'd spent more money on alcohol than we took in via ticket sales.
What I've rarely heard anyone talk about is shifting our concert times the other direction, which, if you're trying to attract a demographic that is basically defined by its interest in going out late at night, would seem like an obvious idea. The major reason for this is that most orchestras (ours included) have specific prohibitions in their union contracts against concerts that go on into the wee hours, or at least prohibitively expensive overtime scales designed to accomplish the same thing as an outright ban. And most arts professionals who have spent time running a shop full of union workers are well aware that it's rarely worth banging your head against the concrete wall of a Collective Bargaining Agreement if you don't absolutely have to.
But there are ways to massage these things, and a few groups are making the effort. London's Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment recently launched a series of 10pm concerts aimed squarely at the city's young professionals, and guess what? They're apparently turning out in droves. (Part of the appeal appears to be that the audience is allowed, nay, encouraged to drink during the show. No word on whether the orchestra gets to imbibe as well.) In this country, the groups that have tried late-night concerts are generally smaller ensembles unburdened by strict CBAs, but anecdotal evidence suggests that these, too, have been successes.
So, if you're part of the ridiculously coveted 18-to-40 demographic, what about it? Would you be more likely to show up for a casual, dressed-down, late-night concert than a starchy, formal, early evening one? If we suddenly started doing an Inside the Classics show at 11pm on a Friday night, would you consider starting your bar crawl with us? Or are we really better off looking at the dinner theater option?
On another note entirely, guess what, you guys? We've got our first Inside the Classics concerts of the season coming up next week! (And we haven't said a word about it on the blog yet, which I'm guessing is driving our marketing department batty.) We're talking Mozart, featuring his Jupiter symphony, and trying out a bunch of new ideas to keep the series fresh. (The script isn't 100% finalized yet, but I can confidently guarantee that an adorable child, a patented Sarah Hicks Fugue Takedown™, and a green garden hose will all feature prominently. As will, y'know, Mozart.)
I know money's tight for everyone right now, so here's what we're doing. If you head on over to our subscription sales page, you can get a ticket to all three of our 2008-09 ItC shows for 50% off the normal price. That's less than $14 per concert, if you subscribe before November 20. And if you're not into planning ahead, we've dropped our single ticket prices for all our November concerts to a maximum of $25. ($10 for your kids.) That's right - the best seat in the house is $25. It's normally $83. Get you some. Transmission ends.
To me, this sounds dangerously close to dinner theater, which is to theater as Ashlee Simpson is to music. And I used to play in an orchestra that tried something like this, even offering up free booze themed to the program du jour (vodka for an all-Russian slate, champagne for French fare, etc.), and the whole thing went down like a lead balloon. Granted, the 20 or so people who bothered to show up for these concerts did appear to be younger than the average symphony crowd, but I'm not sure that made up for the fact that we'd spent more money on alcohol than we took in via ticket sales.
What I've rarely heard anyone talk about is shifting our concert times the other direction, which, if you're trying to attract a demographic that is basically defined by its interest in going out late at night, would seem like an obvious idea. The major reason for this is that most orchestras (ours included) have specific prohibitions in their union contracts against concerts that go on into the wee hours, or at least prohibitively expensive overtime scales designed to accomplish the same thing as an outright ban. And most arts professionals who have spent time running a shop full of union workers are well aware that it's rarely worth banging your head against the concrete wall of a Collective Bargaining Agreement if you don't absolutely have to.
But there are ways to massage these things, and a few groups are making the effort. London's Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment recently launched a series of 10pm concerts aimed squarely at the city's young professionals, and guess what? They're apparently turning out in droves. (Part of the appeal appears to be that the audience is allowed, nay, encouraged to drink during the show. No word on whether the orchestra gets to imbibe as well.) In this country, the groups that have tried late-night concerts are generally smaller ensembles unburdened by strict CBAs, but anecdotal evidence suggests that these, too, have been successes.
So, if you're part of the ridiculously coveted 18-to-40 demographic, what about it? Would you be more likely to show up for a casual, dressed-down, late-night concert than a starchy, formal, early evening one? If we suddenly started doing an Inside the Classics show at 11pm on a Friday night, would you consider starting your bar crawl with us? Or are we really better off looking at the dinner theater option?
----------------------------------------
On another note entirely, guess what, you guys? We've got our first Inside the Classics concerts of the season coming up next week! (And we haven't said a word about it on the blog yet, which I'm guessing is driving our marketing department batty.) We're talking Mozart, featuring his Jupiter symphony, and trying out a bunch of new ideas to keep the series fresh. (The script isn't 100% finalized yet, but I can confidently guarantee that an adorable child, a patented Sarah Hicks Fugue Takedown™, and a green garden hose will all feature prominently. As will, y'know, Mozart.)
I know money's tight for everyone right now, so here's what we're doing. If you head on over to our subscription sales page, you can get a ticket to all three of our 2008-09 ItC shows for 50% off the normal price. That's less than $14 per concert, if you subscribe before November 20. And if you're not into planning ahead, we've dropped our single ticket prices for all our November concerts to a maximum of $25. ($10 for your kids.) That's right - the best seat in the house is $25. It's normally $83. Get you some. Transmission ends.
Labels: audience feedback, marketing, shameless self-promotion
posted by Sam at
12:06 PM
6 Comments:
I'm 35--right in the primo demographic. There are several reasons why I don't go to more concerts (and it's sad because I have a BM and MM in performance and work in an arts library). The main reason is cost (and I'm not saying that the musicians don't deserve their salaries). Tied to that is a cost/logistics issue. We have a small child (3yo), so going to a concert would cost even more because of a sitter.
Three words - Orchestra Hall Childcare. Wonder if that would make a difference to people?
At 25, I'm in a slightly different part of the demographic, as childcare is not an issue for most people my age. I'm also a musician, so I'm not sure I'm part of the "new audience" demographic. Nevertheless, I have some thoughts. I think that "casual" should not be part of the concertgoing experience. People who go out to shows are there to see and be seen. People my age like to dress up (not formal dresses, but trendy clothes that are more upscale, like nice jeans and a nice top, heels for girls, maybe a cute dress or skirt, but not formal) when they go out. I think the later time is good. What prevents me from going out more is that at least in LA, you have to battle traffic to get there, find a spot, pay upwards of $15 for it, then there might be a cover fee or admission price, and you probably have to get at least a drink or two, so the night adds up. If an orchestra has easy parking, inexpensive drinks, and a low ticket price, this might work to attract the younger crowd. Also, I would imagine most musicians prefer to play later in the day rather than earlier--I know I do!
I would imagine most musicians prefer to play later in the day rather than earlier--I know I do!
Heh. You are 25, aren't you? Would that this were the case, but the fact is that many orchestra musicians have families, which means a lot of early rising once the kids arrive. Late-night concerts will always be a tough sell for big ensembles like ours, but that doesn't mean that they have to be impossible.
The associated costs of going out in a big city are one of the most frequent complaints we hear from patrons, and a few years ago, we went so far as to ask the city of Minneapolis to rename the Orchestra Hall Parking Ramp (which was and is unaffiliated with the orchestra) the 11th Street Ramp, so that folks wouldn't blame us for the cost of parking. But that does tend to be the price of metro living, and obviously, there's little to nothing that we can do about it. Ticket prices are another matter, though, and I think you'll see special offers and discounts on the rise as this recession drags on...
Another 25-er. The Inside series is what caught my eye and motivated me to finally go (looking forward to Mozart!!). The latest I would go is 9pm but I usually have things to attend to early on weekend mornings. I also don't like dealing with the intoxicated late night scene downtown.
I attend with a friend so we have a good deal going; I buy the tickets and she picks up dinner. We both drive infrequently since we live close to the cities so having to pay for parking one night is not a big deal.
If it was a big deal, it seems that there are plenty of buses or drive to a park & ride and take in the LRT....or bike. :0)
I'm 30, and one suggestion might be shorter concerts. I'm not sure how this works in with the union rules, but once I tack on commuting time back and forth from St. Paul, and the inevitable dinner to keep me going for two hours of listening, a night at the orchestra becomes quite an investment. Perhaps these shorter concerts could be touted as a "double feature," two shorter halves with a longer intermission so folks could either attend both halves or one or the other. I also wonder if shorter concerts would make the music more meaningful; sometimes leaving a concert I'm hard-pressed to remember what the first half sounded like. Maybe I just have a short attention span...
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