In light of the fact that there's been some suggestion from CBC management that the orchestra is in decline, or in my experience in the very few times I've played with the CBC when we've played for not-full houses, I thought we should look at what some other organizations are doing.
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, for example, has been experimenting with using large screens and doing close-ups of musicians in live performance. I'm speaking about the live performance now. Vancouver Opera has been using English subtitles, as most opera companies have. Recently they did a first nations version of Mozart's Magic Flute, combining first nations culture and costumes with that. And I think we as classical musicians need to continue to look for ways to invigorate what we do and connect to a larger audience.
In Abbotsford, we've been experimenting with combining classical music with backdrops, with costuming where all the musicians are in gorgeous gowns, and we've been getting a younger and younger audience, to the point where I would say the mean age of the audience is around 30 to 35 now for our concerts. You try to invite the audience to participate, to sing along with the orchestra. You invite somebody from the audience up on stage to dance while the orchestra plays. And the concerts become participatory experiences rather than just watching an orchestra at the distance.
In Abbotsford we have an audience that now feels as if it can't wait for the next show. And yes, some people would say we're combining entertainment with classical music, but we are reaching a younger and younger audience and creating a situation in which people who otherwise would not enjoy it are exposed to it and wholeheartedly embracing what we're doing.