BREAKING BAROQUE BARRIERS
Tafelmusik’s new director, William Norris, knows a thing or two about bringing classical music to the under-35 crowd,
If attracting young audiences to classical music wasn’t difficult enough, imagine if you were called the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment?
The British period music orchestra shook up its fusty image and expanded its audiences under the leadership of William Norris. For almost a decade, he programmed concerts in radical new London venues, introduced booze and DJs to events, lured more young and first-time audiences and successfully rebranded the 30year-old institution. Now the 37year-old administrator is in Toronto to work similar magic at Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra — which also plays ancient music on period instruments — as its new general director. Here he shares some of his innovations to woo new crowds.
Engage the audience Under the slogan “classical music minus the rules,” alternative concerts featured question-and-answer sessions, explanations from the stage between musical movements and encouragement to take photos and post them on social media during a show. They could bring their drinks in and talk without fear of being shushed. There was clapping after solos, whooping and cheering at the end. Concerts were shortened so people could go out for dinner or drinks afterwards. They wanted to break the stereotype that classical music “was long, boring, stuffy, with lots of velvet.” Change the venues Concerts were programmed in unconventional places including rock venues and a gay club. They also held pub crawls. Musicians hopped from pub to pub over a series of nights where there was “zero barrier” between the musicians and the audience. Other pub shows featured two sets of chamber music, one modern, followed by a DJ.
“Audiences have catholic tastes; they listen to everything from Beyoncé to Beethoven.”
Build a strong brand Norris didn’t even try to put “The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment” into the title of its alternative programming, simply calling it Night Shift.
Its audience was overwhelmingly under the age of 35 (85 per cent) and roughly 15 to 20 per cent were experiencing their first classical concert. With 20 core musicians (Tafelmusik has 17) the orchestra was “nimble” and able to adapt to changes which included playing later at night and taking their instruments to more than one locale in an evening.
Lower ticket prices, not standards Cheaper ticket prices for students, sold on campuses through student unions, are necessary to attract thrifty young people with limited budgets. This group is not likely to buy season tickets and often decides where to go out for the evening on the same day. They want an event, a date night, entertainment and socializing. High music standards remain the same, no matter the venue. The regular 10-concert season suits an older, established classical crowd but “you need a different product for different people,” Norris says. In order to lure young people away from television, orchestras have to provide experiences. “If I can make it sexy and cool, I’ll feel I’ve succeeded.”
Tafelmusik’s take Tafelscene provides reduced tickets for the under-35 crowd at its concerts at Trinity-St. Paul’s Church as well as programming other events in a movie theatre and the Tranzac Club. This is Tafelscene’s third year.
The first Taste of Tafelmusik event, to be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, has Tafelmusik musicians performing in the Melody Bar at the Gladstone Hotel. Chamber music from prominent European countries of the Baroque era is paired with food from the composers’ countries. Info at tafelmusik.org.
Other innovators Soundstreams, which features living composers of classical music, is launching a series titled Ear Candy with the Electric Messiah at the Drake Hotel on Dec. 7 and 8. There will be DJ sets, interaction with artists and “total dismissal of stuffy music listening traditions.” Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and SoundWave members, those 35 and younger, will receive special offers.