Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century

Alistair Sung

Name: Alistair Sung Main Subject: Classical Cello Research Coaches: Gerard Bouwhuis, Renee Jonker Title of Research: Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century Research Question: Can a reconsideration of presentation, programming and audience relationship influence the response to classical music? Summary of Results: The financial and cultural climate of the past 50 years has changed the way in which classical music is perceived. Where once it was valued as a crucial part of a healthy society, it has now grown isolated from mainstream culture and has been relegated to the periphery of modern cultural life. This paper will examine how these recent cultural and social developments occurred and focus on their effects on the performance of classical music in the 21st century. Through an analysis of new and existing approaches to performance, a framework will be established which will form the basis of a test concert. Data gained from this concert will then be analysed in order to explore the possibility of altering existing concert conventions to respond to the problems facing the performance of classical music. Research will be presented in the form of a research paper. Biography: Alistair began learning the cello in Sydney Australia with Marcus Hartstein and David Pereira. After attending Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Alistair completed his Bachelor Music (honours I)/Bachelor Arts (philosophy) at the University of New South Wales in 2010. On graduating, Alistair was awarded the university medal and his honours thesis, ‘Variety in Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Recorded Performances of Bach’s Sixth Suite for Solo Cello’ was co-published in the Empirical Musicology Review (Ohio State University). Alistair is currently completing a Masters degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague with Larissa Groeneveld.

Conclusion

From the completed survey findings and personal response, it is possible to draw conclusions.

In the first place, it can be stated that a reconsideration of presentation, programming and audience relationship can influence the response to classical music. The survey findings revealed that the changes in presentation clearly made the majority of audience members feel relaxed and comfortable. The choice to perform a short concert revealed that audiences of all ages and experience levels are comfortable to experience a concert of around 50 minutes or slightly longer. Performing a concert of works from the 20^th and 21^st centuries only was well received however, it is clear that more historical or contextual information in the form of support material could enhance the enjoyment of such works. The exact method through which this information is conveyed should be well considered for specific audiences and not distract from the music. Increased audience contact is beneficial both to the enjoyment of the music and to the overall atmosphere.

The findings from this research reveal that a concert of this nature can warrant a positive response from an audience of all ages and experience levels. The degree to which each of the 3 key areas is altered is different depending on each space and performer and this has an effect on the resulting concert experience. That 100% of survey respondents said that they would attend more concerts like this in the future clearly shows that performing music in this way could help to develop and sustain audiences in the future.

Significantly, while this concert did have a ‘target audience’ as the focus, it is clear that classical music concerts inevitably have the potential to draw audiences from all ages. Thus, the intention may not necessarily be to isolate any subgroups but rather to encourage all to feel comfortable together. By reconsidering the 3 key areas, it seems possible to develop an experience that may enable this to happen.

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