The music of Beethoven and Mozart may soon be more at home in flash mobs, restaurants and shopping malls than the stuffy concert halls of years past.

Lovers of classical music came together last night to discuss ideas like these to help fill the void left by the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra after it closed last May.

The Center for Live Music in the 21st Century in the Setnor School of Music hosted a fourth public conversation to discuss future programming for the Syracuse Philharmonic. The organization has partnered with the center, ‘a unique entity that is a combination of a research center and arts business incubator,’ according to a Nov. 16 SU news release, to lay the groundwork for a new professional orchestra in the Syracuse area.

Josh Dekaney, interim director of the center, hosted the event at the Fayetteville Free Library with Patrick Jones, director of the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University. The discussion brought forth ideas for the future, but also expressed people’s continued sadness over the closing of the SSO.

Jones kicked off the event by mentioning the shaky state of arts organizations in the United States. He stressed that the digitization of music has made live music experiences even more important.

‘We live in a particularly challenging time for symphony orchestras,’ he said.

Jones discussed the possibility of creating new musical repertoire and programming for children and teens, and securing new performance locations and education programming. He stressed that the discussion was not about the personnel or structure of the new orchestra.

He then introduced Dekaney, who continued in the same vein and explained that the center hopes to help the Philharmonic develop dynamic programming and strong marketing.

Dekaney invited the audience of about 30 to join the conversation, asking about their favorite concerts and fondest musical memories. The audience, almost entirely middle-aged or senior citizens, responded by noting concerts as recent as two weeks ago and as far back as 40 years. In attendance were die-hard classical music fans, professional musicians and past members of the SSO, including Daniel Hege, former director of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and current professor at the Setnor School of Music.

Many attendees mentioned that most children do not listen to classical music and that exposure to it at an early age is vital to developing and creating young audiences.

‘Symphonic music is a foreign language to most kids,’ one man in the audience said.

The group discussed solving this problem by having smaller ensembles from within the Philharmonic present concerts in schools and other public places.

Other innovative suggestions included flash mob concerts in places like Carousel Mall, dinner concerts and diverse performance venues that help support small business. Dekaney cited an event he attended in the Westcott area where bands moved from one shop to the next, creating an exciting musical event while bringing customers to local businesses.

Jen Ortiz, a senior music industry major, mentioned that what makes concerts memorable is often the whole experience rather than simply the music played. Building on this idea, she suggested more social events, like dinner dances. Another member of the audience agreed, saying future orchestra concerts should be ‘more of an experience where you can take a date.’

Collaboration with non-classical artists in genres like jazz and Brazilian music was also suggested.

The audience gradually moved off topic. Many people in attendance expressed anger at the closing of the Syracuse Symphony and confusion about the emerging Syracuse Philharmonic.

‘We have an orchestra now, they deserve to be considered,’ said one person referring to the Symphony Syracuse, a temporary organization put together by former members of the SSO that has presented a few concerts since the orchestra went bankrupt.

People also expressed concern about the use of the Syracuse Symphony’s remaining endowment funds, and who makes up the board of the Syracuse Philharmonic. Jones and Dekaney were unable and unwilling to respond to most of these concerns, saying that they did not know the details of the situation, and that they and the Center was not responsible for establishing the structure of the new orchestra, but for researching public opinion to help the Syracuse Philharmonic satisfy the needs of its audience.

At times, this inability to address the public’s concerns created tension between the event’s hosts and attendees.

‘It’s a very raw topic (with) raw emotions,’ Dekaney said.

The collapse of the SSO was devastating to the city’s classical music community, but steps are being taken to ensure that the Syracuse Philharmonic will survive and be relevant to its audience.

Ortiz stated: ‘It’s not about the past anymore.’

insimonc@syr.edu

Published on November 29, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Ian: insimonc@syr.edu