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I think your question implies a "wag the dog" mindset. While all art historically has displayed cross-cultural influences, the artistic impulse transcends time and place. Tastes change, styles change. But Art (with a Capital A) impacts the community much more than the community impacts the Art. This is why we regard such diverse composers as Bach, ... Read MoreMozart, Beethoven, Stravinsky, et al. as Artists whose impact on Culture (Capital C) has been incalculable. Would you truly have expected Beethoven to worry about demographics? Beethoven changed the world, not the other way around.

Reading the tea leaves of demographics is for Hollywood producers and politicians. Orchestras undermine themselves when they subordinate great Music in hopes of conniving a few reluctant new concert goers. This is a standard ploy of incompetent orchestra managers: they can't trouble themselves to develop audiences for great music, so they cheapen the music making in hopes of attracting people who wouldn't be interested in what the orchestra normally does. It rarely works and suggests that the orchestra isn't an entirely self-confident institution.

A better approach would be for musical institutions to let the community know that Great Music is available to all and can appeal to all. This is far easier said than done. We've spent the past 100 years building barriers. Great Music has become a pastime for the modern aristocracy, much as was the case in Mozart's time. Only the titles of the aristocrats have changed; i.e., CEO for Duke, King, etc. As a professional musician (with some education and international credentials), I couldn't afford the ticket prices of many concerts I've played.

Mr. Friedman's comments are unfortunately more misinformed than they are wise when he marginalizes changing demographics. He justifies his dismissal of demographics as important to the ongoing health of orchestras by asserting that Beethoven could not have been expected to worry about demographics. In reality, he worried about them a lot; he expected to be paid; he needed to eat; and he needed to bring in enough money to pay the musicians he hired to perform his music. He is known to have worked himself into a rage when the box office wasn't as large as he thought it should be. I doubt whether many musicians througout history have willingly worked without some form of compenstation for an extended period of time.

Further, it is unjust to imply that orchestra managers are lazy, incompetent and indifferent to art. I have never met an orchestra manager that was not genuinely involved in and dedicated to symphonic music as an art form; many are musicians themselves and most seem to have degrees in fine arts. If orchestra managers lack competence in any general sense, it is in the administration of nonprofit organizations, not their devotion to the art form. By the way, this applies to all arts managers I have met, whether they work in ballet, opera, theater or any other genre of performing arts.

Mr. Friedman does seem to understand that the problem facing orchestra managers is one of marketing, but of a particular kind. Since most musicians seem to be unwilling to explore any artistic alternatives, the only recourse of the administration is to try to find audiences who are willing to pay for and attend orchestra concerts as musicians care to present them. I might also add that this is only a part of the problem, because even the high ticket prices that Mr. Friedman bemoans cover only about half of the cost of producing the concert. The other half must be made up by fundraising, another difficult and often thankless job but one that is generally well-done by orchestra managers.... Read More

But to return to demographics, we can note that probably the greatest single influence on orchestra concert attendance has been the nearly total elimination of the teaching of active music-making in our school systems. The adults most likely to attend an orchestra concert are those who were taught to play an instrument or sing during their formative adolescence. By eliminating nearly all musical instruction, we have guaranteed that the audience for symphony orchestras will slowly diminish as current concert-goers age and ultimately pass on. Where will their replacements come from?

Fortunately, it is now widely recognized that active participation in music-making or other performing arts has a number of desirable results and long-term benefits to society. We have slowly begun to reinstate these programs, but it is a long and difficult task. Orchestra managers, by the way, typically support the efforts along with the artistic staff who often participate in programs to bring musical insruction to school-age children.

Despite making some headway in the reinstatement of arts education, the desired outcome of increased symphony orchestra concert attendance is some time away; it is probably a generation or two away, assuming we successfully continue to reinstate music instruction in our schools. Meanwhile, orchestra managers are pressed into service to find ways to preserve their institutions despite decreased box office and funding. Who can blame them if they sit down with the artistic leadership of their orchestras to try to find innovative ways to attract new patrons and donors.

Let's not be naive; for every orchestra that becomes extinct because of a lack of financial resources, hundreds or perhaps thousands of potential concert-goers' wants will go unsatisfied. To ask artists and musicians to participate in the innovative planning that will preserve an orchestra for future generations is not cheapening the art form. To the contrary, it is a great and noble undertaking that will, with brains and cooperation, preserve the symphony orchestra for generations yet unborn.

Great concert in spite of the two talkers near me. Why do they come? Also annoyed by people who clap and cough while the conductor has his hands raised at rhe end of the movement or piece

I think diverse concert experiences are important above all. The "traditional way" whatever that way may be is great, however less traditional ways like ones being presented by the Sinfonietta and Grant Park music series are their own unique experiences that deserve their own place in classical music performance.

All the comments make worthy points. But another key issue often is overlooked. The Art of serious music making has been in deep trouble for many years due to a lack of renewal. Few, if any, commonly acknowledged masterpieces have entered the symphonic and operatic repertoire (and stayed there!) in some 50 years. This is in huge contrast to the ... Read More19th and early 20th-Centuries, when great works were being introduced on an ongoing basis. This crisis affects music education and public participation. Increasingly, music making is seen as either faddish popular entertainment or as a museum/conservancy for the works of long dead composers. The farther the public and educational organizations are removed from living, breathing composers of unimpeachable artistry, the less involved they become. [This holds equally true for music professionals.]

Regards to Stephen Burns.

-- Stanley

I agree with you Mr. Friedman. About a year ago, I had the chance to see "Doctor Atomic" for the first time (the Met broadcast). What struck me write away was the subject material... and the use of real documentation in presenting a very dramatic picture of a main character who was put in place to develop a weapon to kill millions of people... ... Read Moreand the struggle with all the people surrounding him. Oddly enough, that was what caught my attention first - and once I watched again, and listened to the music, it really came together for me. I have a new respect for John Adams... I guess I was too "old school" for him before.

It seems to me, with all the complexities we face as humans at the beginning of this 21st century (politics, wars, terrorism, religion), there is a goldmine of potential material... that I think could strike a chord with a modern audience.
I would have never given Doctor Atomic a chance (shame on me) but for the fact that I caught it on "Great Performances"... The tension of the mood - the doomsday feeling... along with Adams' score accentuating that moment in time really stuck with me. I will now be on the John Adams bandwagon, doing my part to promote him to my "traditional opera" friends.

we encourage everyone to apply! we may pick more than one personality!

Same here. Some just pretend better than others...