Violinist Holly Mulcahy posted an article at Neo Classical on 3/4/2013 titled Imaginary Program Notes: What We Can Learn From Children that examines the value in foisting less structure on our listeners. It’s loaded with just the right amount of “Duh” realizations we all need to hear from time to time.
I won’t spoil the details for each spontaneous moment of inspiration (A.KA. the Duh moment) but suffice to say, it’s well worth your time. Once you’re done reading the post, leave a comment there (or pop back here!) and chime in on what you took away from the post and how it might help shape a better concert experience at your organization.
[ilink url=”http://www.insidethearts.com/neoclassical/2013/03/imaginary-program-notes-what-we-can-learn-from-children/” style=”tick”]Read Imaginary Program Notes: What We Can Learn From Children[/ilink]
More often than not, whenever we talk about outreach and making connections with our community, those conversations unfold in a very top-down prescribed manner,…
5 thoughts on “Concrete Ideas From Imaginary Program Notes”
I liked this article very much, and had an idea…wouldn’t it be nice if the back of a program book contained (instead of a giant full page ad from the concert’s major sponsor), an invitation to respond to the music with pictures or words. (“Mercedez Benz is proud to sponsor tonight’s concert…where does the music take you in your mind?”)
Silly, and won’t happen, but I’d love to have doodle space built into the program book.
I wouldn’t call it silly but the reality is covers are the most valuable space in program books so it’s really more an issue of practicality. That being said, there’s no reason an interior page couldn’t be used. The other practical issue is the type of paper used for the program books etc. I’m thinking that instead of going with program books at all, it would be far more feasible to make it a central theme of a concert and provide the supplies for children.
I’ve seen this done a number of times via family and children’s concerts as well as in-school programs and I’ve always found the results to be fascinating.
I rather like the idea of doodle space, especially for younger audience members. Wouldn’t it be a nice thing to have a “gallery” of past thoughts and pictures to inspire others who might need a kick start with their own imagination?
I won’t spoil the details for each spontaneous moment of inspiration (A.KA. the Duh moment) but suffice to say, it’s well worth your time. Once you’re done reading the post, leave a comment there (or pop back here!) and chime in on what you took away from the post and how it might help shape a better concert experience at your organization.
I liked this article very much, and had an idea…wouldn’t it be nice if the back of a program book contained (instead of a giant full page ad from the concert’s major sponsor), an invitation to respond to the music with pictures or words. (“Mercedez Benz is proud to sponsor tonight’s concert…where does the music take you in your mind?”)
Silly, and won’t happen, but I’d love to have doodle space built into the program book.
I wouldn’t call it silly but the reality is covers are the most valuable space in program books so it’s really more an issue of practicality. That being said, there’s no reason an interior page couldn’t be used. The other practical issue is the type of paper used for the program books etc. I’m thinking that instead of going with program books at all, it would be far more feasible to make it a central theme of a concert and provide the supplies for children.
I’ve seen this done a number of times via family and children’s concerts as well as in-school programs and I’ve always found the results to be fascinating.
Actually, we do stuff like this for one of the alternative classical series our orchestra does.
Interesting, how does it go over?
I rather like the idea of doodle space, especially for younger audience members. Wouldn’t it be a nice thing to have a “gallery” of past thoughts and pictures to inspire others who might need a kick start with their own imagination?