Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on October 24, 2000 at 08:26:12:
In Reply to: Are orchestras dying? posted by Scott Roeder on October 24, 2000 at 07:15:43:
I've been asking myself the same thing in recent years. When we go to NYC to hear the Philharmonic, we see a scattering of 30s-40s, but mostly over 50 with what looks like the majority well over 60. Our local professional orchestra concerts are almost entirely devoid of people under 55, especially if you subtract the amateur and other local professional musicians who come and their children.
When I lived in NYC in the early 1980s, lots of young professionals (20's-40s) went regularly to the symphony, ballet and, yes, even the opera. Some came on tickets paid for or subsidized by their companies, but many (myself included) paid for our subscriptions.
Moving to the 'burbs and having kids changes your priorities. Therein may lie some of the problem: kids are expensive, especially kids who are musical -- I figure I spent about $12,000 last year on music for my two daughters, including lessons at $60/hr, music camp at $2,500 each, one trumpet and a piccolo. When the kids are grown and gone, we'll have more time and money to go into NYC to the symphony.
I'm not sure if that's the main reason for the decline, but high ticket prices is surely also a factor -- I just had a friend offer me a pair of tickets to Turandot for Saturday night as her cost: $180 per seat in the Orchestra. I don't think so, no matter who's singing. I can get CDs of performances almost as thrilling for around $15 each.