Pops - "Music of our Lives" by Michael Christie
We at the Phoenix Symphony have been allowing our Pops programming to evolve using the statement above as the guiding principle. When it comes down to it I think this idea sums up Pops programming very well. Let’s be entertained by a symphony orchestra with music that has resonated with us at various points in our lives.
Many of you have contacted the symphony office to discuss your reaction to last week’s Arizona Christmas program. The idea for this concert comes to us from the Atlanta Symphony and their former Music Director, Robert Shaw and the beautiful series of recordings he made to celebrate the holidays. When I was working with the orchestra last season I was urged by many there to look at the programs they did because of their beauty, the timelessness of the works and the emphasis on both the chorus and the orchestra. This all seemed reasonable to me.
For those who were disappointed I can easily say that it is not a problem for us to make future Arizona Xmas programs more festive and the music better known. We are a flexible organization and can respond to these things rapidly so don’t have a bleak outlook for this concert in the future.
I am pleased so many did enjoy the variety of styles and atmospheres of the works. Many commented that throughout their lives they had performed or heard many of these works themselves and were thrilled to hear them again.
From my own personal experience attending these types of performances as a young person growing up in Buffalo, NY I thought that people would be looking for something more mixed. We evidently got the proportions wrong for some.
I welcome your comments as always. Have a joyful holiday season!
6 Comments:
Well, apparently I am the "odd man out" because I absolutely LOVED the "Arizona Christmas" concert. (See the second comment on the other thread, it's mine).
I had quit going to the annual Christmas concert because, quite frankly, it got to be the same thing every year. How many times can you hear "Sleigh Ride" & "Skaters' Waltz", especially when one is bombarded with them in every store since Halloween?
I went this year because I knew my grandmother is a Robert Shaw fan and I wanted to take her. We both loved the program, thought the symphony & the chorus sounded great, and thought that there was just the right amount of the "old familiars" to keep it friendly for timid audiences.
(First Noel, Nutcraker selections, etc.)
So, I say phooey on those who thought it was gloomy. I was greatly uplifted by the program. And kudos for trying something other than the old standbys.
Signed,
Against the Grain
I think that Music of our lives is a great statement for how we may proceed with Pops in the future. The industry as a whole is at a crossroads with all programming. I read a marketing text book that said that Pops should reach a whole different group of subscribers than classics. Unfortunately, orchestras tend to be good at reaching only who they are good at reaching. Recently the San Francisco Symphony sold out 4 all Mozart programs with MTT but failed to sell a Charlie Chaplin movie that the orchestra accompanied. This tells me that the SFSO simply did not know how to reach that audience.
Across the country orchestras are trying to find a way to improve Pops and make it more relevant. It often seems that the music we play is more dated that the stuff we play at classics concerts. Music that tends to be hundreds of years older. It often seems more contrived as well. I hope that instead of trying to reach one Pops audience over and over we can find a way to bring in all types of people for all different types of shows.
The Christmas concert was among the best ever--not gloomy at all. We are tired of hearing trite Christmas music. It was refreshing to hear the great classic Christmas music. Maestro, the concert was a winner! Please continue this kind of music next Christmas.
A Happy Holiday to you too Mr. Christie, and to all at the ASO.
I can only imagine how hard it is to juggle all the decisions you make.
Good luck to all of you in 2007.
P.S. If you are taking requests, Arvo Part would be lovely
And I never say 'no' to Mahler!!
Sonny,
There may be a reason that the organization has to use "The Phoenix Symphony" instead of "Phoenix Symphony Orchestra" that we are not aware of. There could be a very simple explanation. Although I agree that PSO sounds better. Maybe someone on staff could let us know the correct title for the orchestra and why.
No matter what name the organization uses, it doesn't stop them from making great music!
The correct name for our organization is The Phoenix Symphony, or when referring to the nonprofit, The Phoenix Symphony Association.
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