Average size audience?

[Wyvern]

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!"

[Wyvern]

Classic! May I pass this one along to some friends?

Yes, feel free to share!

[tofu]

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[Teubonium]

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!!

[Biggs]

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...

[KevinMadden]

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

[tubatooter1940]

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.

[Steve Inman]

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

[LoyalTubist]

For my final master's recital, the hall was packed. It was a small hall and only faculty were allowed in the balcony (only my tuba teacher went and there was a guy with a video camera). I guess the audience size was about 450-500. This was a shock because it was at 4:00 in the afternoon on a school day. About half of the audience was high school kids.

[Toobist]

I've enjoyed crouds from a dozen or so to thousands. My two biggest audiences were Roy Thompson Hall at capacity here in Toronto when subbing with the TS) and a rediculously huge croud when the pope came to town. It was a few years ago and the orchestra I played in at the time was to be the house band. The croud was over 800,000. Probably my least favourite gig ever.

I prefer between 50 and 300. Enough people to really enjoy their energy and few enough to still be somewhat intimate.

[TubaSteve]

Some great posts here.

When we play with the "Pops" band that I play in, we often will get 500-1000, 3,000-5,000 on the 4th of July. 300-400 for the indoor Christmas gig. The 4th of July is often one of my favorite gigs, (if I can park close to the band shell, otherwise, hauling the horn for blocks is no treat). The finale is a real thrill for me as we play the official version of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard marches in one long string with a 20 measure drum line between the songs. The veterans of each service will all stand when we get to their march. Makes my hair stand on end!!! My late father was a WWII Navy pilot, and I can't help but get emotional when we play it. We then follow with Stars & Stripes Forever. Audiences love it!
For the brass band that I am in, we usually draw ~100 or so for indoor gigs. I would guess that the outdoor gigs are usually fairs, or other venues where we are just an addition to the event, not the primary event, so maybe 500.
For the concert band that I play in at a local university, we probably don't get more than 50, sometimes less, and those are almost all family of the band members. We play such esoteric stuff that my fellow tubist and I often remark of what a dirty trick we are pulling on the audience.

Steve