The Decline of the Symphony Orchestra (and ideas to rescue it!)

Nearly once a month we read about another symphony orchestra threatening to close its doors due to a lack of financial solvency. In every case the article mentions a drop in ticket sales, large salaries to musicians, pensions to retired musicians, and a decline in contributions and the shrinking donor base. Other problems such as expensive facility usage, extended contracts, and rental agreements add to the shortfall resulting in many orchestras either reducing their season or stopping performances altogether. While the threat alone has helped revive several of the more prominent organizations, the problem is real and will likely occur at a later date for even the most respected ensembles. 

Many people see the decline as indicative of the position of the arts in our culture while others simply see it as a manifestation of difficult economic times. There are a myriad of opinions offered on the problem of fewer attendees including the proliferation of videos on the internet, saturation of excellent recordings of standard literature, and a population no longer interested in art music from the past. In addition, musicians whose lives have been devoted to purchasing expensive instruments, taking lessons, paying for an education, and relentlessly applying excellence in the practice room in order to produce at a high level in public, demand high salaries, excessive royalty percentages, and often feel entitled to liberal retirement packages.

Management may work hard to market their product of the orchestra performing great music on a stage in an excellent auditorium, but they are subject to the attitudes and expectations of the professionals doing the performance. Add a musician’s union to the mix, and the potential for bankruptcy becomes a reality. Symphony orchestras rarely, if ever, can sustain themselves with ticket sales and are dependent on contributions for their existence, making them economically unsustainable and ultimately no longer viable. With a multitude of options available for entertainment including movies, television, sports events, parties, and community engagements, the choice to attend an orchestra concert often rests at the bottom of pile of things to do. People are choosing to spend their free evening in other ways than attending a classical concert.

In many cases the above stated reasons for the decline sound insurmountable. The changes that are required to “fix” the problems of symphony orchestras are so dramatic as to be impossible given the current cultural climate of most musical organizations. If the very expensive, and not very popular, steakhouse has very few customers and refuses to change its menu, its doors will inevitably shut forever. So goes the symphony orchestra.

And yet, as we study the seemingly untenable situation, we find management trying new things that are working. To reduce expenses, many orchestras are operating with fewer personnel and trying to avoid long-term contracts, keeping musicians on a part-time as needed basis. While this may sound difficult on the individuals, the by-product is that musicians are seeking out other entrepreneurial avenues to supplement their income. Other reductions include reduced pension plans supported through planned retirement and renegotiated contracts with performance facilities. But regardless of the reductions, the problem rests primarily with how to increase ticket sales? This requires a new programming approach and an aggressive marketing plan.

Because the problem of symphony orchestras is long-term and related to production orientation, the cure is a change of product, promotion, and perhaps discussion of place. A price change up might help alleviate some of the cash flow problems but also will not provide any kind of sustainable solution. Marketing to a wider audience is essential to solve the problem. To do so will require creative programming and possibly segmentation of the audience in different ways. Another idea is to break out of the bonds of a formal auditorium and start taking the music to the people. This idea is currently being tried in Detroit.

Success stories: The Dallas Symphony orchestra has enhanced and supplemented its normal classical recording with the use of video, popular music, and even Christian contemporary music. While the normal classical audience has probably not been supportive, the DSO has seen increased ticket sales from a younger, previously unengaged, audience. A program of video-game music with media enhancement was recently very successful and ticket sales have subsequently increased for all concerts. The addition of popular music with Peter Cetera and Kristen Chenoweth added another dimension to the eclectic programming and now the DSO is on solid ground. Their programming is creative, eclectic, and draws a wider and more diverse audience than in years past.

The Royal Philharmonic in London, although not in financial trouble, has benefitted from an arts environment that includes diverse programming, lectures, world music, folk music, and educational opportunities for children. People are drawn to the diversity and then tend to stay for the more traditional offerings by the orchestra. I never attended a concert that was not full during my time in London. The Abilene Philharmonic, taking its cues from an orchestra in the Southeast, is currently experimenting with segmentation. Recognizing that some audience members enjoy texting on their cell phones, typing on their laptops, and drinking beverages during concerts, the Abilene Philharmonic has set aside a section of the auditorium for those audience members desiring the freedom for such activity. This system retains the formality of the experience for the traditional audience members but also allows for greater freedom from those seeking an informal classical music experience. 

These creative approaches to programming require marketing plans to include facebook, twitter, printed material, media exposure, and announcements. Although unlikely to appeal to everyone, academically trained musicians in particular, management is now able to sustain its orchestras while reaching a broad-based audience. Not without its pain, most orchestras need to take a risk in order to stay viable in today’s rapidly changing culture.