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RE: Where are our audiences?

To: "'brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Where are our audiences?
From: "JUSTICE.A" <JUSTICE.A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 13:40:18 +0100
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My feelings reading the day to day concerns of the average brass-band
person, in relation to the question of 'why falling audiences', is that
the brass band movement as a whole is very insular, self-serving, and
limited in its horizons at grass-roots levels. I dont want to sound
derogatory, but maybe the answer is not to ask what the general public
can do for you, but what your band can do for the general public in your
area. I was guest at 2 concerts on consecutive nights given by the Salt
River Brass of Phoenix, led by Ralph Pearce (ex south wales SA, now SA
music Director in Arizona). The band exisit in a virtual vacuum as far
as banding goes, it's public are fairly low to middle-brow, and the band
itself, with respect, not exactly Championship standard in UK terms.
However Ralph regularly fills 2 auditoria with over 1000 people on
consecutive nights, maybe 3 or 4 times a year. The concerts are
advertised as a series many months in advance, all the usual marketing
tricks like mailing lists, sponsors, special guests, themed music
presentations, surprise items (like Ralph playing 2nd trom in Iris
Washerwoman on a Gaelic night..Riverdance inevitably featured). The
crowd loved it, keep coming back, regularly cover all costs and provide
a healthy donation to a local charity, who recieve the cheque on the
night to maximise publicity for all concerned. This is how they do it
over there... stop thinking that brass banding is a gift to the public,
and think of it more as a service,start thinking in a more positive
business fashion, get some marketing advice, make it fun, keep the music
accessible and good quality well played, and you will see improvements .
It's not enough to hire the Town Hall and sit back...people have better
things to do unless you convince them otherwise.
Andrew Justice 

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