Riots at the Organ?

    One of the misconceptions found amongst many musicians today is that there is no longer a strong audience for Western classical music. I still maintain that the issue at hand is not of interest but of communication.

    If a concert is announced and the title on the poster reads

'Die Schöpfung (Hob. XXI:2): an oratorio by Franz Joseph Haydn'

then it does not appeal. It does not invite. It merely informs. Thus, only people who know the significance of this music already and have probably already experienced it, will come and listen. This is gatekeeping in a way because there will absolutely be people who would enjoy this experience but cannot because they don't know. However if I were to advertise it as the opportunity to hear the  Biblical creation story completely in music, then that also brings in the Church-going crowd. If I advertise this concert as an authentic Baroque-era concert experience, with promotional material showing the aesthetic value of the concert, that brings in the same crowd that goes to cultural events to take pictures for their social media posts. Whoever comes, and for whatever reason, ends up being a patron to art. That is the primary goal. To create patronage. 

    Another way is to appeal to the young. Children love to be in awe. And what better instrument to wow them than the Pipe Organ? A lot of ancient institutions are realising this and incorporating elements that do not alienate the non-enthusiast. Artists like Anna Lapwood conduct sold-out concerts in Churches, Cathedral and Concert Halls around the world and her repertoire includes 'oldies' like Handel but also Hans Zimmer.

    I recently came to know the interesting news that one such concert by Australian organist Titus Grenyer was made free-entry and there was such a big crowd that there was "a little bit of a kerfuffle". The doors had to be shut and the riot police were called. This was an organ concert that focused on music composed for and featured in Disney movies. The Organist says that since he started making these concerts "more accessible" the hall had been seeing amazing attendance numbers and the last few concerts had seen the hall at full capacity. This is the power of understanding your audience and knowing how to communicate to them. The pipe organ is as eternal as we make it. I refuse to let it die. I hope that more people join hands in patronage to the King of Musical Instruments.