SymphonyNow

What shape might orchestras take 5, 10, 20 years from now? How do orchestras walk that fine balance between revering tradition and remaining relevant? And just how do you engage listeners with the symphonies of Bruckner in the era of the 140-character attention span? These and a host of related questions are just some of the issues that orchestras are grappling with today, as changing demographics, new digital media, and music in unusual venues present fresh opportunities.The future of orchestras has gotten some extra notice recently. To mark its centenary, the San Francisco Symphony isn’t just looking back at its stellar history, but is also taking a season-long look at where orchestras are today—and where they might be heading—with an ongoing series of open public meetings, discussions, and blogs called the American Orchestra Forum (SymphonyNOW’s coverage of the most recent Forum is here.) In March, arts administrators, academics, and musicians from all over the country gathered at the University of Michigan School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a wide-ranging examination of the state of orchestras at American Orchestras Summit II (the first summit was held in 2010). Organized by Mark Clague, Associate Professor of Music, American Culture, and African American Studies at the University of Michigan, the event aimed to identify what’s working in the industry today and to share ideas old and new that are succeeding.

But what gets the new generation of younger musicians, composers, and conductors excited about orchestras today and tomorrow? Maybe it’s reimagining repertoire, maybe it’s rethinking how orchestras present the music we all love, maybe it’s new approaches to community—all in the service of guaranteeing a strong future for orchestras. At the Inventing the Future session at the League of American Orchestras’ National Conference, June 5-8 in Dallas, some of today’s most provocative young talent and thinkers will get together to talk about the present and future of orchestras. The session will be curated and hosted by a group of young music-makers, staff, and artistic leaders. And though these folks are deeply engaged with composing, playing, and presenting orchestral music right now, they don’t pretend to have all the answers. The session, on June 8, is deliberately participatory: everyone attending should come armed with questions, prepared to explore future possibilities of our art form.

SymphonyNOW caught up with three Inventing the Future participants to hear what they think.

When you look at the orchestra field, what do you see as the biggest opportunity for inventing a new future?

William Brittelle: I think the current state of affairs in the music industry, especially in what’s often called indie music or experimental indie music, represents a huge opportunity for orchestras. There is a growing audience for adventurous non-disonant music—artists like Dirty Projectors, Tyondai Braxton, even older groups like Radiohead—that are building large audiences yet open to interacting with orchestras. Not only is it exciting to think about collaborating with these artists directly, their popularity itself excites me—it represents a need for adventurous new programming across the board, in all types of music. This generation of music consumer is more open than ever to new ideas, and orchestras, with the right help, can take advantage of this.

Over the past year, have you attended any orchestra performances that got you excited about the future of the field?

Jose Luis Hernandez-Estrada: A few months ago, I heard the Mannes Orchestra perform at Carnegie Hall. Families and friends gathered to hear the students tackle the intricacies of the Rite of Spring—a musical rite of passage for the musicians indeed. Audiences were engaged; the music resonated strongly, with a sense of fluency and joy. The performance was exciting, the musicians communicated their parts with a palpable commitment to the score. During the performance, it became clear to me that the musicians and their audience were all part of a larger family.

When we know the performers behind the music—who they are and why the play—music takes on a more profound meaning. We enter into their own stories, into the larger narratives of music. The orchestra and its members become entities of pride, embraced by their communities, cherished as heroes, as ambassadors of beauty and possibility. Music in its infinite variety should always be seen as participatory endeavor, as a social experience. In doing so, we may discover new paths for the expansion of our art form and opportunities to connect with others, through music.

Over the past year, have you attended any orchestra performances that got you excited about the future of the field?

Caitlin Sullivan: As a New Yorker, I feel about as lucky as an avid concertgoer can get. But one concert within the last year stands out in my mind as almost miraculous: the Brooklyn Philharmonic at the World Financial Center, featuring actor and hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). Everything from the creative, contemporary, and passionately performed program to the diverse, multi-generational, and truly engaged audience (with and without the presence of Bey) made my heart secretly sing. It all seemed so natural: a Brooklyn-based orchestra presenting music of (living!) American composers and arrangers, collaborating with electrifying American soloists—it was a 155-year-old orchestra’s true embrace of contemporary culture and it was genuine. I can’t remember the last time I felt an orchestra’s entire season was reflective of their connection with their community while also having a clear artistic pursuit as with the Brooklyn Phil. It makes the future of orchestral concerts seem so full of possibility.

We’d love to hear what you think about the future of orchestras, so tell us: Where do you think orchestras are headed? Where should orchestras be headed? Are there recent orchestra performances that got you excited about the future of the field? Have your say in the comments area at the bottom of this page.

To find out more about the Conference and to register, click here.