Posted by Tom Mason on October 24, 2000 at 09:41:08:
In Reply to: Are orchestras dying? posted by Scott Roeder on October 24, 2000 at 07:15:43:
If you are not in the major metro centers, you are growing either more aware or live with this situation. I play in a small community orchestra in Northeast Arkansas, and sub for others in the Memphis area. The support for the orchestra programs is slowly ebbing into the abyss of nothingness.
So far in this thread, some of the reasons have been iluminated. The ability to get recordings, the cost of concerts, and the lifestyle choices of the public have had impact upon the attendance and support of all arts. In my local orchestra, funding for 4 to 5 concerts per year with a 50 to 70 piece orchestra by the local arts foundation has been cut to 2 concerts. One is an opera, and the other is the Nutcracker Ballet. As you can see, there will be no use for a full orchestra. I had a core position in the string bass section, and was a sub for tuba and bass trombone. My job has been cut because of this.
(I'm glad I have the teaching job and other playing gigs ad well as a part-time job in a police department).
I'm sure that some people look at an orchestra concert and don't appreciate the quality and scope of the selections. I fight students almost daily as I have them listen to quality orchestras perform the various standards and interesting literature. I find some actually like the music after exposure, some don't. As the subject for another thread, I wonder if literature selection has become a stumbling point in the fight to gain listeners?
Either way, the struggle to maintain orchestras must continue. Not only because of our jobs, but because I want my children to have the opportunity to enjoy quality music performed with quality musicians in a quality setting.
Sorry about being on a soapbox. My first opportunity to hear a quality orchestra was in Chicago in 1980. I heard both the CSO and Civic Orchestra. CSO was in the Ravinia Festival, and the Civic was playing in the middle of a fireworks display for the 4th of July. My first opportunity to hear Arnold Jacobs, the other greats in the brass section, as well as the complete orchestra in a live setting still weighs in my mind. The fine Civic orchestra performance also left an impression, (No disrespect intended for the musicians or conductor), but it is also surrounded by the largest fireworks display in the world at that time. Go figure.......