V.com weekend vote: What is the likeliest thing to draw you to a live concert performance?
March 29, 2013 at 7:23 PM
When I attend a concert, it's because….how would you answer?
Do you attend in order to hear a particular ensemble or hear a particular guest artist? Do you attend because certain repertoire will be played? Do you attend simply to experience something new?
You may have a combination of reasons to go to a concert, but what would be the single likeliest draw for you? For me, it's usually the guest artist. Even when I went to see the entire Mahler symphony cycle in LA, it was because Dudamel was conducting the LA Phil -- the draw was Dudamel, because I knew I would hear Mahler a certain way. The Mahler was a secondary draw! Of course, I have on occasion chosen a concert, simply because of the repertoire.
How about you? Do you go to hear a specific artist? Do you go to hear repertoire? Or, do you simply never go to live concerts? Let us know:
From Paul Deck
Posted on March 29, 2013 at 7:51 PM
I was a bit torn here. I do want to hear new things, but I'm more comfortable with the idea of hearing them if they will be performed by artists who have already earned my trust. By the way such artists needn't be people or groups who are international "household names" with Nike contracts.
I was torn, too, between "repertoire I know and love" and "opportunity to experience something new." Either way, for me, it's primarily about the music and not about who is playing it. I find the focus on personality and celebrity overall to be pretty tiresome, and not just in classical music.
There are classical artists with Nike contracts? Do I not watch enough television? I was torn with the answers too, because for me it is both plus, sometimes I go if they are highlighting an instrument I want to hear more about. For example, recently the Baltimore Symphony did an oboe concerto followed by Beethoven's 7th. So there was something I'd never heard that made me curious and an old reliable that I knew I'd like. Ditto for the National Philharmonic's viola concert where they did all this music I'd never heard before, but I was curious to see how they would highlight the viola (it was excellent by the way). However, I only started listening to classical music a few years ago so everything is new to me. I hardly ever go to see a particular artist.
I used to love to go to concerts. I would arrived early with a good book and relax waiting for the lights to dim.
Now I have children. So maybe some day in the future. If its a friend having a recital I can sometimes swing it but otherwise. No live concerts or the very rare movie in a theater.
Of course my wife never like to be anywhere early. Go Fig.
Tie between artist and repertoire. I couldn't choose.
Each of the options has been a 'draw' at one time or another.
Nowadays, it's as likely to be when I have $$ and time simultaneously and some interesting venue occurs.
The least likely draw for me is a 'big-name' artist. Been too disappointed too often by lack-luster performances, obviously the umpteenth time the person has gone through the piece in a short space of time...ho-hum.
I tend to go to concerts put on by people I know (e.g. teacher, friend, etc..) I used to attend concerts more frequently when I lived in Oregon. However down here in Houston, the drive & traffic (& drivers) are so bad, I tend to not go. I wish we had better public transportation. That would make a difference for me.
Something new, although I'm not sure why it was listed as "simply" something new. Brahms, Beethoven, Mahler, it's all great, but at this point in my life it's kind of "been there, done that." Some of what still is fresh in my memory even after several years: St. Lawrence quartet + 1, Golijov's "Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind"; a premiere of Kaija Saariaho's opera "L'Amour de Loin"; a fabulous young pianist playing parts of Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jesus." Two of those pieces were new in all respects, that particular Messiaen piece was new to me.
The classics are classic for a reason- Beethoven's 5th is a damn fine piece of work- but the chance to discover something new gets me out of the house.
To my mind there can often be an overlap between "new" and a particular artist or group, but not necessarily the other way. It made sense to click on "new".
From M.L. Scott
Posted on March 31, 2013 at 2:48 AM
All of the first three could be a draw, but I have to admit that the convenience factor is important to me - is it in a location I can get to easily, with plenty of parking nearby? Is it a location where I would feel safe going (and parking) by myself, if I don't have anyone to go with?
For me it's a combination of the three, kind of. And a couple more reasons but that was a difficult vote. I voted however artist/group I know.
From David Beck
Posted on March 31, 2013 at 10:43 AM
The only concerts that get me out of the house these days are the ones at which one of my own pieces is being played.
What a DREADFUL admission !
I voted for 'repertoire I know and love', but 'opportunity to experience something new' follows a close second for me. An allied topic is 'repertoire I know and don't particularly like' but I'll sit through some of that if it occurs in the same concert as repertoire I know and love. I hardly ever go to a concert on the grounds of who is playing/conducting, but one recent exception was a performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion by the choir of St Thomas' church, Leipzig and the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra - not an experience I expect to be able to have again. It was excellent.
Although I voted for "repertoire I know and love", I might pick a particular concert for any of the first three reasons. For instance, I'll gladly pair a new piece with an old favourite so I have familiar material while also checking out something different. As for artist, that depends on the concert; it's not a factor, for instance, when I'm picking the half a dozen concerts that our little group goes to see each year with the VSO (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, although there are a lot of rather good violin-shaped objects there too). I'll sometimes, however, choose a concert to see a guest conductor that I particularly like.
There's a whole category for me, called, "Watching Gustavo Dudamel conduct!" Major draw!
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