“It’s no secret that American orchestras are having a tough time,” writes Ted Gavin Wednesday (1/18) on Forbes online. “Dwindling audiences, donors running for the hills, and an economy that turns orchestra endowments into pocket change, make for orchestral headaches. … The problems facing symphony orchestras are nothing new—in fact, the very same problems (donor issues, cost of operations, audience retention and development) go back farther than 1969. So why isn’t anyone doing anything new to address them? More importantly, why aren’t the old methods of cost reduction working on what is, most assuredly, an old problem? … As both a turnaround expert and an enthusiastic patron of classical music, I would like to make a few suggestions.” Gavin’s suggestions include cutting back some performances to achieve optimal cost-benefit, changing payment of musicians to a per-service structure, programming concerts “based on audience and cost,” and working to “ensure professionalism across the Board.” “The artistic leadership of an orchestra must be in touch with the artistic needs and tastes of the community,” Gavin comments in regard to his third point. “Programming a long line of excellent guest artists and guest conductors will sink an orchestra by alienating the audience and donor base if the selections are from too narrow a range or if the audience and community feel that they haven’t been engaged in the programming or that their wishes have been ignored.”
Posted January 19, 2012
