In Friday’s (1/21) St. Petersburg Times (Florida), John Fleming writes, “What will it take to get more people to attend Florida Orchestra concerts and become supporters of classical music in the community? Perhaps dramatically less expensive tickets will do it. The orchestra is poised to announce that it is lowering prices in the 2011-12 season to $15, $30 and $45 per concert, down from the current range of $20 to $67. More than half of the tickets available will cost $30 or less. Student tickets will remain $10. ‘To any extent that we’re not playing to a sold-out house is the extent that we’re not serving our mission,’ president Michael Pastreich said. … U.S. orchestras that are experimenting with the strategy hope increased attendance will lead to greater support from contributions. ‘The thinking in this is that the more people who come in the door, the more people the orchestra has to cultivate and move down the pipeline from coming once, to twice, to three times, to buying a subscription, to ultimately becoming a donor,’ said Jesse Rosen, CEO of the League of American Orchestras. ‘So along with the mission of serving more people, there is a business plan here that says if you maximize the number of prospective patrons, you increase the likelihood of more philanthropy.’ ”
Posted January 21, 2011
