In Wednesday’s (10/23) Post Independent (Grand Junction, Colorado), Jeremy Herigstad writes about the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, where in recent years “the programming has remained consistent and has even expanded; music education in schools has continued; and the musicianship of the orchestra has greatly increased. Music Director Kirk Gustafson recently said that the Beethoven & Mozart concert on Sept. 10 was the greatest the orchestra has ever sounded in his 25 years as conductor.” Among the orchestra’s challenges are “how to attract more ticket buyers…. Over the past four seasons, the average attendance at a GJ Symphony ‘Pops’ concert like The Texas Tenors or The Beatles: Classical Mystery Tour has been about 1,400 while a ‘classical’ concert … has pulled in about 900 on average.… It is expressly the intent of the GJSO to see a crossover in attendance from pops to classical concerts. Jess and Helaine Cohen, the sponsors of The Texas Tenors concert this Saturday, made a conscious decision to bring in a group that would pack the auditorium at Grand Junction High School.… The Cohens saw an opportunity to reach more people and give them an enjoyable night out by bringing back the Tenors.”
Posted October 25, 2013
