In Friday’s (12/23) Denver Post, Ray Mark Rinaldi writes, “To have a future, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra has decided it must relinquish some of its past. The new classical-music model it unveiled Thursday still includes Beethoven and Brahms masterpieces but also borrows a bit from the pop- music world, adding shorter concerts, touring shows, smaller ensembles, even video screens at concerts. And it earns its own way rather than relying too heavily on contributions. … The plan, titled ‘Creating a 21st Century Orchestra,’ has the bottom line in mind. The cash-short CSO plans to amp up ticket revenues with a wider variety of performances at a broader number of venues. …The new business model keeps intact a union-based orchestra of around 80 players, rejecting an idea that had surfaced to use all musicians on a freelance basis. … While it promises to build stronger ties with the Colorado community, the plan is not without its challenges. Orchestras across the country have tried similar tactics only to be met with resistance from existing subscribers, usually older patrons who like the music the way it is. Those audiences ‘still constitute the majority of the current audience for the current product, and you certainly don’t want to lose them,’ said Jesse Rosen, who heads the New York-based League of American Orchestras. But, he said, classical music is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ business, and orchestras have to find a way to serve diverse communities with varying tastes.”
Posted December 23, 2011
