“The Unsung Success of Live Classical Music”

Leon Botstein wrote a great article in the Wall Street Journal today entitled “The Unsung Success of Live Classical Music.” The entire article is interesting, but these are some of the comments from the article I had thoughts on:

Nothing can reproduce the sonic and emotional power of live performance. But looking out at the audience at most classical music concerts in the United States, one sees a crowd that is largely middle-aged, verging on the geriatric.

As someone who spends his life trying to get the word out about live classical performances in Utah, I’ve been impressed at how many young people actually do attend Utah Symphony performances.  Our Vivace group is one of the largest groups of its kind in the country (there are over 1,000 members right now) and at our opening weekend concerts last month we had over 350 STUDENT Subscribers! That’s quite a feat. I’m convinced that young people will support the arts if you make them aware of opportunities. The Symphony isn’t just for the “geriatrics.”

From its birth as a secular and church-based art form, classical music has depended on patronage and philanthropy, not on income from sales either at the box office or in record stores.

That’s still true today. I don’t think many people realize that revenue from ticket sales alone doesn’t and can’t support the Symphony. Sure, it contributes to the bottom line but most of the funding for the Symphony and Opera comes from other sources, such as donations from patrons and assistance from the community. Arts organizations won’t survive unless the community wants them around.

The real attraction of classical music is the power and sensuality of the live sounds. The excitement that ensues from the unpredictability and drama of live performance is comparable to watching spectator sports.

I love the way Mr. Botstein puts this - “the power and sensuality of the live sounds.” I truly believe that in order to really experience music, you need to experience it in person. Music brings out so many emotions in people - excitement, passion, sadness, etc. I remember one of the first Utah Symphony concerts I attended and I actually found myself wanting to laugh, not because of anything funny about how the Symphony was playing, but because I actually found humor in the music itself. You really can’t compare a live performance to a recording. There’s just something special about it.