Brass Band Logo

NJH Music Logo

Some of the contents of the pages on this site are Copyright © 2016 NJH Music
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Black Dyke in Canada

Craig certainly makes a number of very valid points. The musical and touring
program of the SA are unique and exceptional in the world scene. I am well aware
that your tours, ISB and others are self sustaining. More power to you.

Hannaford takes the risk of covering Black Dyke's costs with absolutely nothing
behind them but their own resources. Their members are also professionals whose
income depends among other things on the success of Hannaford. In this type of
case it is a judgement call as to the prices you charge. Their estimate is that
the market will bear this kind of cost and they live in the market. Whether they
are right or wrong will be proven in February. If they make a lot of money, more
power to them.

As for the old Hamilton Temple Hamilton Place concerts, while I was Bandmaster,
those concerts always generated a surplus which enabled the band to do other
things. We kept prices low for the little old ladies and got a good audience.
Severe escalation in rents forced my successors to increase ticket costs to the
point where they were no longer viable. Again market forces rule.

The McMaster Workshops happen because I personally guarantee McMaster that there
will be no cost to the university. Sometimes we have had a surplus, other times
the costs to me have been high. I still find it a pleasure to be associated with
top artists in this way so it is kind of personal. I would find it even more
satisfying if our attendance would increase.

Maybe if Hannaford had an angel too, the tickets to the Dyke would cost less but
please don't ask me. One event is enough.

Dave.

Craig Lewis wrote:

> Since I started the thread, I feel I must respond to Dave's comments.
>
> First of all, at no point in my message did I compare the quality of
> Hannaford or Intrada to Black Dyke. Any of the top bands from the
> championship section could come here and wipe the floor with ANY of the
> bands here in Canada (yes Dave, including the ones I play in -- which are
> neither Hannaford or Intrada). I was simply comparing the economics of the
> tickets to hear two of the top bands in Canada.
>
> You mentioned that there are some seats at $40.00. I can only imagine the
> quality of those seats in a school auditorium. You would pay for a cheap
> seat in a concert hall where you know the acoustics are good, but would you
> do the same in a public school?
>
> I know that overseas trips are expensive, but SA bands do it all the time (
> I have travelled to England three times with self-funded brass bands) and
> the tickets are still cheap enough that the little old ladies can afford to
> come to the concerts. SA bands raise money by selling CD's, and giving
> concerts just like everybody else. There is no 'golden' source of money for
> them as you know from your days at Hamilton Temple. The Young Ambassadors
> were here in Canada this summer and I heard them for free in Burlington!
>
> You are right Dave, I could loosen the purse strings and go without it
> impacting the bank account to much, but shouldn't we be using a visit by one
> of the top brass bands worldwide to dramatically raise the profile of brass
> band music in Canada? Instead we are making the concert quite elitist. What
> about the students, pensioners etc?
>
> You have personally done a great job in organising two day brass symposiums
> at McMaster with world class brass players, concerts, and workshops that are
> less than half the price of this one concert. Surely you must agree that
> there are other ways to lower prices to put the bums in the seats.
>


--

[Services] [Contact Us] [Advertise with us] [About] [Tell a friend about us] [Copyright © 2016 NJH Music]