TubeNet

In response to a quote from " the elephant" in another post I became curious about this topic. It would be interesting to hear from you not only about the average size audience, but what type of musical group were you playing in. I'll start.

Amatuer Symphony Orchestra - 200
Amatuer Brass Quintet - 1000(mostly churches)
Amatuer Trombone Choir - 200

German Oktoberfest style band.

Generally in the 100-500 range but a few jobs each year that are well over 500, more like 1500+.

Playing bars and restuarants - 20 to 250
Outdoor festivals and charity events - 1000 to 50,000 over a full day

Symphony Orchestra 400-600
Wind Band 200-300
Brass Band 100-200

Orchestras are definately more popular than bands in my area (southern England).

bloke wrote:Ironically (or perhaps/probably NOT ironically) the thing that I do that is the most challenging, musically rewarding, and (maybe) pays the least (playing in the Mississippi Brass Quintet) draws typical crowds of only c. 45-250 folks

Playing for money and playing for free are different, but not really, after you agree to do it. When the curtain goes up it's all the same. The only time I ever see more than 200 folks, and sometimes a lot less than that, is either a church service or an outdoor festival. I will have an interesting insight soon. We are doing a benefit for a music scholarship program next month in a big church, with a big organ, brass quintet, and percussion. We have constructed our program to draw organ guild people, brass people, and church people. We should play well, but I wonder how many will actually come to hear it.

Currently I play in a community band, a community pep band and a comminity theatre group. I hope to soon be playing in a small brass group (quartet or quintet).

The games play to about 150 people give or take 100. The community band hasn't played yet in a concert setting. The theatre groupe will be playing a series of 6 performances of "The Music Man" to an audience which has, in the past few years, has played to audiences of around 150-200 a night but sometimes as few as 35 for the tuesday or thursday performances. This is in rural Wyoming if that helps...many people here will travel 200+ miles for a bit of culture and will go to just about any community thing to stave off the boredom.

Sou

And what if one's audience is the entire internet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONrOhMW7y4s

I play with the Air Force Band of Flight.. an Air Force Regional Band.

Depending on the venue, we range from 600+ to 2500+. In the summer, there are a few gigs where the number tops 10k.

Church ( Praise Enemble, Brass trio/quartet/quintet ): 1 (God always comes) - 225ish


other stuff (small chamber ensemble/honky-tonk trio/Ragtime ensemble/improve duo/trio/larger) at resturants/lodges/bars/gallerys: 1 (my wife always comes) - 40





"....always play for someone you love" Louie Armstrong

I play regularly at my church which draws anywhere from 300-800 people I'd think. This month I'm in the pit for a musical at a small community theater which is pulling 150-200ish people. The wind ensemble concerts at my univeristy draw about 200 people, same with the jazz band concerts. Other jazz gigs get from 50-300 depending on location and occaision of course.

I play in two community bands. One, which does not charge admission seats around 450. There are usually around 350 in attendance.

The other band—which charges admission of $12 to $15—is close to full most of the time. Seating capacity of one theatre we play in is 750. We play the same concert at another theatre which seats 685. Our last concert with a 'Swing' theam even had even the very front row filled... and these are terrible seats.

I regularly perform for audiences of over 70,000 Hawkeye fans in historic Kinnick Stadium.

Scooby Tuba wrote:I played in a friends grad recital that had exactly one in the audience (audient?)

That reminds me of the story an old military bandsman told me. His band had a bandstand gig and it was a wet day. At 5 minutes before the gig there was no audience and the bandmaster said, "if no one turns up, we will pack up and go." Then at precisely the start time one man came and sat down (in the rain) to listen, so they had to play the whole gig. At the end, one of the band went and spoke to the man and said, "we were surprised you wanted to listen in the rain" - to which he said, "I am the park keeper and am just waiting for you lot to go, so I can lock up!"

the elephant wrote:Classic! May I pass this one along to some friends?

Yes, feel free to share!

-

Biggs wrote:I regularly perform for audiences of over 70,000 Hawkeye fans in historic Kinnick Stadium.

Hey Junior,

I played with the HMB from 1958 to 1963 in the days of Fred Ebbs and Tom Davis. And have played several years with the Fossil Band!

Kick-down-hats-off!!

Teubonium wrote:

Biggs wrote:I regularly perform for audiences of over 70,000 Hawkeye fans in historic Kinnick Stadium.

Hey Junior,

I played with the HMB from 1958 to 1963 in the days of Fred Ebbs and Tom Davis. And have played several years with the Fossil Band!

Kick-down-hats-off!!

Excellent! People around the music building are still singing the praises of Ebbs and Davis. Too bad the football team seems to be taking a few seasons off...

Tuba ensemble / recitals: 2-100
College Ensembles: 100-400
Pep band: 200-5,000
Drum Corps: 500-6,000
That time in 2004 when we won Div II and got to play at Div I retreat: 30,000

My favorite sized group is six to twelve. Nobody needs to be amplified. A steady conversation flows among the band and the entertainees. We are free to let the evening take any direction it will.
As soon as we step on a stage or use a mike, a certain, most times, desirable level of communication (feedback) is lost.

Quintet -- typically smaller venues: churches, outdoor community events, etc. Sometimes fairly small (~50), sometimes 100-200.

Church orchestra (Christmas programs) several hundred to over 1000 with multiple performances (for one popular church program in town).

Community concert band -- 100 if we're lucky

Civic theater pit orchestra -- several hundred, multiple performances

All "semi-pro" groups (except for me ....)

Cheers,

Steve "semidemihemi-pro" Inman
Quavering in Kokomo, IN