the way that orchestra concerts are promoted...

[SRanney]

The article reads to me as a promotion not for the concert itself or even the orchestra, but for the soloist scheduled to perform.

Steven

[tubashaman2]

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[Tubadork]

Hi,
Dawn Upshaw sells tickets, so does Golijov (at least here in Atlanta it does) and so does pieces that were written for performers. It becomes a "can't miss event" that everyone should go see.
Seeing another orchestra play Barber of Seville or Beethoven 7th again, will draw some, but as someone who goes to concerts pretty often and has way too many CD's for his own good, I could miss a concert of Beethoven and Rossini, but I would love to go see Upshaw do Golijov.

I've seen concerts here of amazing standard literature by the Atlanta Symphony where there are PLENTY of empty seats, but when John Adams comes to town, or they premier a Golijov piece, it's usually pretty packed. I think with the recession, people are more willing to see something they have never seen before than a piece that they can hear online or they have or can easily get a recording of. For people who like contemporary classical, Dawn Upshaw is like Yo-Yo Ma. I can't imagine a Yo-Yo Ma concert being billed as a great time to go see Beethoven and by the way there might be a cello concert on the program that will only be 30 min. max.

Bill

[UDELBR]

Dawn Upshaw's a pretty big deal, and I'm sure they're paying her a pretty penny, so I can sorta see why they're taking that slant.

Uncle "sat next to Dawn in Music History class about a thousand years ago" Beer

[Chuck Jackson]

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to complain or praise after the fact. If there are butts in seats, it was a brilliant marketing ploy, if not, well there's your opening.

Chuck"interested in knowing either outcome"Jackson