Socialising

  • Research
    This document contains the presentation slides from a talk by arts consultant Heather Maitland on how young people engage with music.
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  • Research
    This document contains the presentation slides from a talk by arts consultant Heather Maitland on how to turn a concert into a social experience.
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  • Research
    In this article arts consultant Heather Maitland briefly describes how audiences prefer venues where they feel they belong. Research shows, that we all actively seek a third space, besides from home and work, where we spend most of our time, in which we can meet our social needs through creative interaction with others. Heather argues that art spaces and concert venues have the ability to be that kind of third space, if they strike a balance between informality and formality. Where that balance lies, however, depends on the type of music and individual preferences.
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  • Research
    In this article arts consultant Heather Maitland describes how social context can be seen as key in potential audiences' approach to new music. She argues that we all juggle a series of identities evolving over time and depending on the situation. We make these identities believable to ourselves and other people through consumption – including the music we listen to. Social groups and relations are often formed around musical tastes. Going to a concert together adds value to the relationships between members of the group. The article sums up the factors involved in a group's decisions about what concerts to attend, how they influence each other, and how we can help them persuade friends and family through our descriptions of the concerts.
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  • Research
    In this article arts consultant Heather Maitland investigates how people listen to music as a way of marking their social identity and for achieving an emotional boost. She explores what this tells us about how to address a new audience most successfully. Heather divides listeners in two different groups: Analytical and emotional listeners. She points out, that reaching the inexperienced, emotional listeners requires publicity material with vivid verbal imagery to evoke emotional response.
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  • Research
    In this article arts consultant Heather Maitland explores our musical preferences, addressing the challenge of attracting new audiences. Personality and demographic profile affect musical preferences, but not in a simple split between high culture against popular culture. Information with emotional and social relevance has more impact on potential audiences' interest in entering new musical territory than fact based musical knowledge. In conclusion Heather points out, that we should focus less on labelling musical genres and more on creating an image of the experience.
  • Research
    New World Symphony in the US wanted to develop new concert formats that attracted new, younger and less-experienced concert-goers. They developed four formats. To give them all a chance of success, all four were programmed each season for three years and carefully evaluated. The tested formats varied from 30-minutes mini-concerts to club night concerts ending with a full-on party. The general conclusion was that alternative concert formats do attract new audiences. This document sums up the results of the research.
  • Recommendations
    Wouter van Looy is a Dutch music festival leader and the artistic director of Music Theatre Transparant. He has years of experience in designing events, not least music festivals, with an appeal to the younger generation. In this document he presents five principles to guide you when organizing your event or concert: Alternate expression and impression; Get rid of barriers and conventions, Present activities on the boarder of the possibilities or skills; Authenticity based communication and Create an environment for wellbeing.
  • Concert report
    The Dutch ensemble Lunapark brought new music to the audience at a jazz club in a relaxed, informal setting. They presented the piece Bulp by Donacha Dennehy, and contrasted its acoustic minimalism with the electronic minimalism of Japanese sound artist Ryoji Ikeda. This report in brief describes the aims and results of the concert.
  • Concert report
    The Crash Ensemble invited the audience to an all Nordic concert in Dublin. The program presented composers from all five Nordic countries and the evening was co-curated by Icelandic composer Valgeir Sigurðsson, attracting a wide audience. A post show party ensured an informal atmosphere, and aligned the concert with popular music from the same region. This document describes the concert in brief.
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  • Concert report
    Athelas Sinfonietta focused on setting the scene for socialising, when they played a concert at a shared creative office space. Athelas aims at making concerts where videos, happenings and staging effects bind the music pieces together to one artistic event. In this case there was a new music video battle before the concert started, and free drinks afterwards. This document in brief describes the concept.
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  • Concert report
    Athelas Sinfonietta played a new music concert at a typical rock music venue. The concert was part of their experimental concert series Brand New Tuesdays. With these concerts Athelas focus on opening up the concerts by rethinking them as social events that embraces and includes the audience. This document in brief describes the concept.
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  • Concert report
    Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen integrated their experimental concert format Brand New Tuesdays as a part of the avant-garde music festival KLANG. The vision behind Brand New Tuesdays is to create a direct dialogue with the audience in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. After the concert the ensemble invited the audience to stay for a drink and an informal chat about the works. Athelas conducted a focus group interview with members of the audience, and shares the findings in this evaluation report.
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