[Dixielandjazz] Gaining new audience

[Steve Barbone]

Declining audience is prevalent in most music & dance endeavors. Certainly
in OKOM. Here's how one Dance Company seeks to gain new audience via a new
marketing approach.

Excerpted from the NY TIMES, "themed" programs; different performances
linked to a central theme.

Perhaps OKOM festivals, might investigate "themed" programs. In the western
USA, "The Music of Turk, Lu and Bob". In the East, "Eddie Condon Lives"
etc., etc. In the center, "The Chicago of Louis, King and Bix". With the
addition of slightly fleshed out explanations, instead of just throwing a
bunch of bands together and hoping that new audiences, unfamiliar with
"Dixieland" will somehow find a reason on their own, to attend.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

New York City Ballet Announces a New Approach to Programming

NY TIMES - By DANIEL J. WAKIN - August 1, 2006 (Excerpts)

In what it calls an effort to reach new audiences, the New York City Ballet
has revamped the way it presents performances, creating 10 fixed programs
with themes and catchy titles that will rotate over the course of its winter
season. . .

³It¹s an attempt to sort of be relevant to today¹s market, addressing
today¹s audiences and their needs,² said Peter Martins, the balletmaster in
chief. ³Now we have an opportunity to describe an evening in a much better
fashion than we had in the past. Repeating it gives new audiences an
opportunity to really know what they are going to see.²

The new plan does risk alienating die-hard City Ballet fans, including
people who grew up on the old way of programming. . .

Rotating themed programs will especially help bring newcomers to ballet, the
company said. ³It¹s about giving them context, the audiences, to really
explain to them, ŒIf you buy this program, this is what you will see,¹ ² Mr.
Martins said. . . The program ³For the Fun of It,² for example, consists of
Jerome Robbins¹s ³Circus Polka,² Balanchine¹s ³Walpurgisnacht Ballet,² Mr.
Martins¹s ³Jeu de Cartes² and ³Firebird² by Balanchine and Robbins.

³You try to find some sort of catchy phrase that will appeal to people,² he
said. ³It¹s no secret that marketing¹s on everybody¹s mind these days, and
you have to complete with a whole slew of competitors.² . . .

Themed programs have long been a staple of symphony orchestra concerts, and
City Ballet already presents rotating programs on tour. . .