Over wine and cheese, on a boat ride and at a Meadow Brook concert, American Symphony Orchestra League delegates planned for the future Stuart Weiser of South Carolina describes marketilg tactics used by his organization. Bob McKeo wn David Belden and Jonathan Stern of,Chicago examine a sculpture at the Evening of Music a d Art. Volunteers Cyndie Marcelli of Birmingham, left, and Rita Margherio of Orchard Lake model DSO sweatshirts. Eleanor Luedtke, left, and Elizabeth Scott of the DSO chat aboard the Bob-Lo boat. Jeff Ruben of Delaware, left, and Jerry Kleinman of New York compare notes. Crescendo: Building The Future HEIDI PRESS Local News Editor From Rock to Bach T o most orchestra managers and directors, enticing a young adult audience has become a major focus of their planning and marketing strategies. "It's very much a challenge for orchestras, which we're beginning now to face," David Wax, vice president and general manager of The Minnesota Orchestra advised. But, he said, most orchestras are reluctant to use gimmicks. The concert goer shouldn't be coming to the hall be- cause there is a party in conjunction with the concert, he asserted. "(The concert goer) must have an intellec- tual and emotional commitment to classical music." Christine Harris, marketing di- rector of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, said three conditions have to be met in order to attract young adults: first, they have to be given an opportunity to mingle in a non- threatening way; secondly, the pro- gram must be informative; and third, singles have to be considered an im- portant part of the potential symphony audience market. In a session entitled, "Singles, Seniors and Students: Marketing to New Audiences," orchestra represen- tatives exchanged ideas on what's being done in their respective cities to encourage young adults to attend the symphony. According to one represen- 42 Friday, July 4, 1986 tative, food is the key to just getting them in the door. The Pittsburgh (Pa.) Symphony Orchestra created what it calls the "Smart Set" program for young adults. It sells a package of six concerts that include pre-concert lectures and af- terwards, guests are invited to have hors d'oeuvres and beverages while listening to a pianist or a band. The Dayton (Ohio) Philharmonic created a board of "Yuppie-types," who were charged with selling the orchest- ra's slow-selling Thursday night series. The concerts were followed by different types of events, an ice cream social and tail-gate parties, for exam- ple. In the first year 500 ticket sub- scriptions were sold. "Talking to their peers is the strongest thing," Miss Harris advised. A Jeans and Beer series was started by the Buffalo (N.Y.) Philhar- monic Orchestra. Musicians were allowed to wear jeans on the bottom, but tuxes on the top. In fact, many of the orchestra representatives said their organizations were allowing their musicians to dress more casually so they wouldn't be so "threatening." Delegates said audience members were more likely to mingle with the musicians when they were casually dressed. Eleanor Luedtke, vice president Continued on Page 48 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS The Business Of Music S ailing smoothly over the De- troit River in a cool June breeze, the Bob-Lo boat pro- vided a relaxing atmosphere for casual conversation, dancing and just relaxing. But to the delegates attending the 41st national conference of the Ameri- can Symphony Orchestra League meeting at the Westin Hotel here last week, the boat ride was just another occasion to discuss business. Networking and deal-making were the primary activities as the boat glided along the Detroit shoreline. Conductors, musicians, symphony managers and directors, volunteers and others associated with orchestras focused on budgets, hiring and firing and time management rather than musical works and composers. Nearly 1,300 delegates attended the convention, entitled "Planning for Progress: An American Music Success Story." Dressed in gowns and tuxedoes, office attire or 'sweatshirts depicting the Detroit Symphony Or- chestra logo, delegates to the four-day conference discussed their programs and problems as music from a modern jazz band peppered the night air. Looking for the famous at what was billed the "Tune-Up Party" on the boat was fruitless. One symphony manager exclaimed, they wouldn't show u'p to something like this. They're back at the hotel." The best place to find the notables, one was told, was in the breakout sessions, where panelists discussed time management, collective bargaining, financial stabil- ity, fund-raising, marketing, staff de- velopment and outreach. Special sessions focused on volun- teers, youth orchestras and pro- gramming. Conductors and managers had their own private meetings. Al- though the discussion sessions were small in size, the luncheons and dinners and opening general session attracted most of the delegates. The perpetuation of classical music went beyond the discussion stages and onto the performing stages. At a special concert at Meadow Brook last Thursday, delegates were treated to the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taafe . Zwilich's Concerto for Piano and Or- chestra, performed by Marc-Andre Hamelin, winner of the 1985 Carnegie Hall International American Compe- tition for Pianists. The concerto was commissioned jointly by the ASOL, Carnegie Hall and the DSO. On Friday, delegates sipped wine and munched on hors d'oeuvres at an Evening of Music and Art at the De- troit Institute of Arts. There, guests could choose between two mini- concerts: the Renaissance Woodwind Continued on Page 50