It was mixed blessing to have audience members infiltrate the group for a closer listen at a recent outdoor mass tuba holiday event.
Sousas and standees formed a back row semi-circle, and I was at one end of the line with a 5/4 horn and shoulder strap. One family with squirming children insisted on getting between me and the conductor, and in front of Sousas to my right; other well-intentioned audience members crowded us from behind and from my left.
The audience distraction was a new experience for me. At least they weren't drunk. If I ever organize such an event, I'll recruit some form of volunteer security crew to keep the audience separate from the performers.
Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
Many halls in Europe have the audience seated behind the stage as well as in front. These folks apparently have no compunction whatsover about holding a conversation during a concert. Pretty darn distracting.
I partly blame the TV generation: folks that can't "get" that a concert is a 2-way medium, and the performers can actually hear the listener as well as vice versa.
I played a quintet Christmas gig at DC's Union Station about 15 years ago where we had a problem with the "residents" (aka homeless) of the station who wanted to basically stand close enough to read the music and turn pages for us. We got management to put up ropes for future gigs down there, but that was pretty annoying.
I've done many mall gigs where someone HAS to hear a particular piece and makes a quasi-scene if we don't have it or won't play it. Only annoying the first 10 times it happens, then you just shake your head.
It's interesting you mention this. Our band director usually has the audience come on stage for the last song of the concert. I couldn't imagine, however, having them there the ENTIRE concert!
the ragtime band played a venue in a small college town a few years back. The venue is a reworked hardware store, so it's a rather unusual setup. The stage was actually set up for some drama production or something, it had a barnyard set with haybales. We had to work in around the bales and the stable. No, it wasn't a Christmas play...at least, since it was February, I HOPE it wasn't.
But, they oversold the house. 150 seats, they had 180someodd audience. SO, the haybales became on-stage seating, and one woman DID turn pages for our pianist. That was actually quite cool, in that situation. We, and the audience, had a blast.
I wouldn't want to do something more serious in that situation.
Try playing at DisneyWorld for a Summer with anyone and everyone hanging over your shoulder, etc.
I believe it was Brazil and I am not sure which age group, but while I was at Disney there were flocks app. 12 year old girls that took over the park for weeks. Let's just say one of our Sax guys was their object of affection and many times we unable to move a foot left or right to do our show.
Most of the Oktoberfest gigs I play have people moving around and making noise. Many times there are people within just a few feet of me. You learn to ignore it pretty much. It's a party - not a concert.
What does make me a little crazy though is if someone is smoking near me.
Once at a fraternity party some bozo poured a pitcher of beer down into my helicon while I was playing. I "accidentally" gave him a good whack on the head with bell, but he was feeling no pain.
Works both ways, though. Once I was playing Carnival of Venice on my double belled euphonium at a cornet band gig, and by way of introduction I explained how DBE soloists were the rock starts of the 19th century. In fact, I lectured, women often threw their undergarments up on stage in hopes of attracting the soloist.
I was about halfway through when a lady rushed forward from the back and threw a pair of gym socks on the stage. It was all we could do to keep our composure and finish the tune...
Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?
I once flipped a kid "the bird" at a parade while playing.
I was riding a float playing with a brass quintet and he threw a piece of candy at me. Fortunately it missed me, but it hit the bell of my MW2000. I wasn't too happy. Fortunately, the group leader had a sence of humor.
When the TubaMeisters played at Fiesta Texas, we loved those days when the water park was open. That elicited an important instruction given by one member to another, when distraction was causing a problem (or likely to), "Stay between the lines."
But I wouldn't call it annoying.
Rick "annoyed by audiences mostly while being an audience member" Denney
Rick Denney wrote:When the TubaMeisters played at Fiesta Texas, we loved those days when the water park was open. That elicited an important instruction given by one member to another, when distraction was causing a problem (or likely to), "Stay between the lines."
But I wouldn't call it annoying.
Rick "annoyed by audiences mostly while being an audience member" Denney
I've gotta agree with Rick. It was not annoying. It may have been distracting, but not annoying. Unfortunately, Rick, Fiesta Texas has a dress code in place now, which has had a considerable effect on this situation.
And to respond to the original question: Of course!
When I was the band director at Sekolah Pelita Harapan-Bukit Sentul in Indonesia, the headmaster requested that I play a recital as part of the school's Christmas program. Of course, I played very light music. I played before the band played (and I needed the energy to conduct them). Well, the choir director began by singing, the music theory teacher played a couple of Chopin pieces, I played some old Bill Bell things, the choir sang, then the band played.
All during the concert, everyone talked. I don't think anyone really listened to what was going on. Since I was the third person to go up (and the only one who wasn't from Indonesia), I realized that they were that way to everyone.
I have noticed this even in Vietnam. Today, I tried to teach all my English classes some Christmas songs. As soon as I started singing, they began talking and not paying attention. Hopefully, part of my mission here will be musical: to teach people that the polite thing to do in a concert or a recital is to be quiet.
Maybe I mentioned it before in this forum, but when Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson went to Jakarta to perform (at different times, not together) the audience did the same thing. Julio kept his cool but swore he'd never go back to Indonesia, except as a tourist. Willie got mad and didn't finish. He told the Jakarta Post that he tried eye contact with everyone he could see in the audience and couldn't get any.
Welcome to Asia!
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You only have one chance to make a first impression. Don't blow it.
We had a Christmas concert that we were recording for a CD as pepple have been asking for a Christmas recording for years. We had a lady somewhere near one of the mikes that sang through most of the concert. We recorded the concert again last Saturday. There was a big snowstorm, so the audience was down significantly, perhaps she didn't want to brave the snow, but she was not there. We may finally have a CD for next year.
1. Political events are the absolute worst. Those people never stop talking and don't give a s***t about music of any kind.
2. Did you hear about the marriage counselor who was getting nowhere with a certain couple? After trying for an hour he walked over to a closet, pulled out an upright bass, and started playing. Within two minutes the husband and wife were talking to each other. He's never seen anyone who wouldn't talk during a bass solo.
... the guide turns to the hunters and says, "Uh oh, drums stop!".
The hunters shoot a worried glance between them and ask, "What does that mean?"
The guide, with a shocked look, says, "Bass solo!"
Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?
If I ever organize such an event, I'll recruit some form of volunteer security crew to keep the audience separate from the performers.
