Chicago Classical Music

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the link.

While I found Amanda's link entertaining and informative, I think it leads to some wrong conclusions and her sample size is too small to draw any real information from (apart from being skewed due to her sister and friends being the test).

 I disagree with Amanda on several points:

 1) I do not believe that this age group is the CV.  Rather, I believe that it is a much older demographic that must be expanded.....baby boomers entering late life.  Young folk do not and never have entered into being successful consumers of Classical music (in any culture for that matter). 

2) I find it amusing that Classical music is perceived as expensive but in reality it is within what this generation spends when going out on the town.  Clearly there is a gap here in terms of perception and reality and it seems to be ongoing.  Classical music is perceived to be out of reach. 

How do we change this perception?

3)Timing of concerts.  If we are not trying to appeal to the young ambitious climbers putting in the overtime hours, then this item is not worth much.  Let's go after the law firm partners, hedge fund managers, and C-suite folk who might be more worried about fighting rush hour traffic from the golf course to downtown. 

Keep the concerts at a time where us old folk don't fall asleep after our two gin and tonics in the lobby. 

4) Arts organizations should not waste money chasing after 30 and younger.  Spend the money on chasing after potential board members who can then back fill the gap with contributed income.  We all know that ticket sales will never pay the bills.  So don't spend money chasing it.

Classical music is an art form.  At best it will only appeal to 3% of the total population.  Most consumers come to it later in life.  The only young people I know who really consume it are musicians themselves.

 I remember this same argument regarding the "graying audience" thirty years ago (yes I am  that old).  And it was the same stuff.

But yet we survive and at times even thrive.  Witness the success of Lyric, COT, Chicago Sinfonietta, and the mighty CSO.  Why would Muti come here to the New World?

So I put forth, that though I find Amanda entertaining, she misses the mark in her analysis and CV (target market).

 Best.

Dileep