Re: Saving orchestras


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Posted by jeff on May 05, 2003 at 06:28:11:

In Reply to: Saving orchestras posted by David Mills on May 04, 2003 at 22:28:15:

I've been reading the posts on this thread (including the earlier one a few lines below) and agree with many of the statements, including Dave's.

I'm still surprised that the majority of posters are still talking about possible solutions to this in the third person (i.e. "Orchestras should do this", "the Government should do this", "the Unions should do this"). Someone below even said something to the effect of "yeah, but I'm just one guy/I haven't got any money, what can I do about it?"

The answer is, get your tuba/euph/whatever and go to the nearest school and offer to do a free workshop for the kids there to show them your instrument. Play them some tunes they recognise. Not one of us has any real excuse for not doing something about this, if we are indeed worried about it. If you've got a band or quintet, organise a free family oriented concert and ask the local band directors, etc to pitch it to their students. In the big scheme of your life, it won't take that much of your time, but if everyone did something like this from time to time, it might make a difference.

As for classical music being completely at the mercy of the economy over which we have no control, I disagree. Many companies go against prevailing economic trends via product selection and effective marketing. For an example, think of Starbucks. In something like 10 years, they've managed to shape the desires of the money spending public so that people now accept that a cup of coffee costs 3 bucks or whatever, when the same thing is on sale for half the price at a shop next door. They have done this by introducing people to their product, and shifting opinion as the the necessity and value of their product.

We have to do the same thing. Introduce the product. Make people realise that they like it once they've seen it. Make them realise that they want some more of it. Change doesn't happen overnight, but we as individuals must start being more proactive if we want to turn this around.

Jeff


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