by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Children are like sponges. In an almost osmotic fashion, they soak up all the sights, sounds and information around them. Once certain concepts are internalized, they linger with the individual throughout adulthood.
Music preferences also apply to this theory. For the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the problem of a lack of music education at an early age deters interest in what their organization has to offer them later in life.
“In the 1930s, the New York Philharmonic board was concerned that the age of their subscribers was over 55,” said Fabio Mechetti, music director for the JSO. “They thought that by bringing in a superstar, they could change that. Today, the average age of a subscriber is still 55. No matter how hard we try, the average age will probably remain 55 years old. The difference from the 1930s, and the reason why we should be concerned, is 15-year-olds then were used to music appreciation as part of their curriculum. They grew up learning an instrument. It was part of their education. Today, that is not the case.”
In April, the symphony conducted a survey of subscribers (those that hold season passes) to three of its series — Masterworks, Pops and Discovery — to learn who their regular patrons are. Masterworks focuses heavily on classic music from the master composers. Pops has a more contemporary feel and Discovery concerts incorporate audio/visual elements. Mechetti says each series has a slightly different demographic.
“We wanted to find out who are these people [subscribers],” he said. “What do they like? What don’t they like? What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong?”
Their conclusion was the majority of its audience is over 65 years old.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” said Mechetti. “It has been our market for 120 years. The nature of what we do appeals to a certain age.”
As far as where their patrons are coming from, the survey revealed that 25 percent travel from Ponte Vedra Beach to the
T-U Center for their performances and 90 percent are residents of the area. Their satisfaction rate hovers around 86 percent.
Using several different strategies, the JSO is striving to develop younger patrons. Through family-friendly concerts, its youth orchestra and encouragement of musical talent through the instrument zoo, they are reaching out to those who will become the next generation of symphony lovers. Their most tenacious outreach program showcases a small ensemble of JSO musicians who travel from school to school performing classical music.
“We do everything we can to provide some sort of exposure to music to the children in this community,” said Mechetti. “We have to supplement what the school system does not provide.”
It all begins with a little art history or music appreciation in the formative years.
“It is a much bigger battle than it was 30, 40 years ago,” said Mechetti. “The challenge is attracting new audiences.
“Nationally, the Pops audience is actually older than the Masterworks. What we’ve noticed is that the Saturday Masterworks audience is considerably younger than the other two. These are newer subscribers. People ask why isn’t art as relevant as sports. Given exposure by the media, I’m sure it can be as popular. It’s easy to be popular when you have help on the outside. It’s a problem of how it is perceived by society.”