Music in 2020

This is a paper I wrote for a class. It is actually getting published on Polyphonic On Campus, which is very exciting! http://www.polyphonic.org/oncampus/index.php


A decade from now the musical arts world will adapt to the technological age around it or risk becoming obsolete. Technology changes dramatically in the span of one year and affects the way the younger generation experiences the world around them. Humans with access to this kind of technology slowly begin to expect everything to become just as fast, just as convenient, and just as accessible – and exactly what they like. Unfortunately, a large part of the musical arts industry embodies none of those qualities. In the next ten years, musicians will consistently use technology and social media to convince their society that art is worth the hour not spent on mediums like Facebook.

Consumers are slowly growing accustomed to getting exactly what they want without having to go anywhere to get it. In 2020 it may be considered an extreme inconvenience to go to a concert. “Moveable art on demand” will become very popular and will suit chamber and solo musicians. There will be an increase in the use of “court” musicians, as the musicians will do the traveling to the event. Renting a musician will be a lot like buying a pizza; request what size, what kind, and where – and the musicians will show up! If consumers demand this kind of product, musicians should establish a base headquarter with pre-established groups, times of availability, a list of prepared repertoire, and emergency substitute players. Musicians must convince the consumers that live performances are more exciting, pleasing, and accessible than recordings. There is an element of personal interaction that is lacking with recordings that these musicians can offer to guests. With technology a dominant force in the lives of humans, this promise of personal interaction will become a favorable and desirable commodity. Musicians will do well to prepare themselves for frequent human interaction, including small talks, humorous stories, and networking. It is possible that there will be an “on demand” feature on TV for a specific piece of music to be experienced visually. These can be pre-recorded or live. Likely the sound quality of a webcam performance will be astounding in 2020, and musicians can play “in” the homes of paying patrons without having to travel. This will still require interpersonal skills, something musicians must improve upon by 2020!

Symphony musicians do not have the luxury of regularly transporting their sizeable crew to a consumer’s function. To present their art in an appealing way, they will employ technology and partner with the visual arts. A concert at the symphony is taxing for the audience, because they are required to sit still, pay attention, and enjoy a completely aural experience. If the audience is granted some sort of variety, they might enjoy the performance more. Local dancers will make a wonderful addition to any concert without detracting from the musical experience. They can express to the audience what the performers -- absorbed in their music – cannot do adequately. The orchestra should partner with local artists to create artwork that is associated with the music or composers. This way the art can be showcased in the lobby and potentially sold to patrons. The orchestra will often use the large screen above the stage. It is an excellent resource to present information before and during the concert. Event organizers can display art work upon it and show any supplemental videos relating to the music. Audiences love the mini-movies that go along with the music, and the local actors can do an occasional silent film to enhance the experience. Music traditionalists and those who believe music should speak for itself without any visual stimulation will not like these changes. Orchestras will likely have two different ways of presenting the same music if the demand is large enough: one night is more traditional, the other more contemporary. After all, there are some who attend a classical orchestra concert to escape from technology and enjoy the past. It is best not to alienate anyone already willing to come to a traditional concert! There might be the occasional orchestra that only adheres to the current model, but unfortunately it will have limited success.

The pre-concert talks are wonderful resources for people who want to know more about the pieces and composers they will soon enjoy, but most people do not want to come to the concert hall an hour before the performance. They eat first, or they do not get off of work, or they simply mind the inconvenience. The orchestra should make that information available to the audience members by giving them a website link in the program. The patrons with smart phones can access the information – and by 2020 I predict nearly all people who have the means to go to an orchestra concert will have a smart phone. Interesting facts and pictures from the composer’s life will give patrons a visual reminder of the performance. There will even be quizzes audience members can take pertaining to the information. Those who want access to this mini music history lesson can have it at their convenience and read it during the concert on their phones, much like the program notes.

One of my favorite ideas is to make the orchestra members seem real and personable to the audience. A short video will be shown before each concert showcasing particular instrumentalists in the symphony. It will highlight their lives, their relationship to other musicians, and their favorite pieces or composers, modeled after videos on reality television. Every time the orchestra or music group does something new, it should be videotaped and made into a witty documentary. For example, if they perform an outreach concert at a school, then certain details of their travels, the people the meet, and the reactions of the kids should be captured. These kinds of mundane details make the audience feel like they are a part of the lives of the musicians. It will also excite the musicians, as they get to portray their feelings and opinions to avid listeners. After the concert there will be more audience members wanting to meet with the musicians, so the musicians should stay available and willing to talk.

In 2020 there will be plenty of eclectic places to hold classical music concerts. I enjoy the idea of having some sort of round stadium seating with a central stage at a lower level. The musicians can play there, and the audience can eat dinner while being entertained. It would be a nice switch to have the entire audience higher than the orchestra. To appeal to children and people with a good sense of humor, there can be “live” appearances by JS Bach, Beethoven, and all the other giants. They will do a skit that teaches children about their own lives, their inspirations, and what the music means to them. They would even make witty aside comments during the piece to maintain the attention of the casual audience.

My role in 2020 will be to preserve the American orchestras and concert experience. I would like to be an artistic administrator of an orchestra or even a concert hall manager. In any case, I will be directly involved with various arts organizations and will work to keep them stable and relevant in our society. I cannot be certain where technology will be in 2020, but I know that following its trend will keep the arts updated and consistent with what the culture knows and expects.