Colorado Symphony Orchestra rethinks programming, funding, everything

[ReinerTorheit]

Originally Posted by Scott Good

just playing classics at kids.

Which isn't outreach work anyhow

But the real focus of outreach work should not be audience-garnering in any case.

If orchestras receive subsidy to provide access to music, that should not be limited to merely the audiences who already attend concerts. Outreach work is self-sufficient, and provides the participants (who are not only kids, but people across the spectrum of age-groups who don't currently go to music events) with a vivid and rewarding experience of music-making. The more interactive that can be, the greater the rewards will be.

[Mambo]

Originally Posted by Scott Good

Some works, others don't.

The most successful in Toronto, by measuring percentage of audience increase due directly to outreach, is with the Esprit Orchestra - a group exclusively devoted to modern music. (cool, eh?!)

Consequently, their outreach programs are centered around creativity - getting kids to write music, then played by pros - a really incredible experience for young people. Thrilling!

It has been a real treat to be involved with these programs. And it seems to leave a deeper impact than just playing classics at kids.

Scott

hi Scott -
i guess you mean modern Classical music -
are they using computers to 'write' the music, which i would presume
is likely.
there may be some kids with original musical ideas though too!
And it sounds like a good program - in my high school music appreciation classes, they always just played classics - Never any thing more modern than Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf -
which i think must be labelled a classic by now!
and the music has that timeless, original quality that makes it so