touring business

August 31, 2017

REOPENING OF @SuntoryHallE TOKYO AFTER RENOVATION

Suntory Hall (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi) celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016. To mark this occasion, a major renovation has been carried out on the entire hall and the additional entrance has been constructed in a seven-month project that was launched in February 2017. Suntory Hall is scheduled to reopen its doors on 1 September.

The renovations were carried out under the basic concepts of “Tradition and Innovation” with focus on the three key points of “Inheriting Tradition–Acoustics and design”, “Designing Diversity – For all audiences”, and “Improving our facilities – Developing a next-generation performing space for music”.

In its pursuit of “the world’s most beautiful sound”, Suntory Hall will continue to take on challenges and engage in initiatives that can be achieved only by Suntory Hall. Initiatives are carried out based on the following guidelines:
1. Offering creative and high quality performances organized by the Hall
2. Engaging in educational programs aimed at the succession and development of music culture
3. Towards a more global Hall strengthening global services

  • Three key concepts behind full renovation of the Hall
  1. Inheriting Tradition – Acoustics and design

Since opening its doors in 1986, Suntory Hall has continued to pursue “the world’s most beautiful sound”. The renovations were carried out in order to maintain the acoustics and atmosphere of the Hall.

  1. Designing Diversity – For all audiences

The renovations focus on achieving universal design aimed at providing a comfortable environment to a wide range of visitors. The vineyard-style design dictates the need for slopes and other physical constraints, but every possible repair and improvement was carried out in several areas to ensure better accessibility.

  1. Improving our facilities – Developing a next-generation performing space for music

Remarkable cutting-edge technological innovations in acoustics and lighting have been incorporated in renovations to enhance facilities. The stage and seating area lighting have been changed to LED, and equipment such as digital signage and laser projectors have been newly installed.

Please see the following link for details:
http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/suntoryhall/facility/reopening20170901/

  • Re-opening concert on 1 September

The main program of the Re-Opening Concert marking the new beginning of Suntory Hall after renovations will be Rossini’s “Messe solennelle (Missa Solemnis)”, performed using the critical edition by D. Daolmi/ Foundatione Rossini published in 2013 (Japan premiere).
Please come to enjoy the reopening of the new Suntory Hall featuring a full orchestra, mixed chorus, and the glorious sound of the organ that has undergone a full-scale overhaul by master craftsmen of the world-renowned Rieger Orgelbau of Austria.

Contact the following for interviews, inquiries or requests for photos or documents:
Public Relations Department, Suntory Hall
suntoryhall-pr@suntory.co.jp
Tel.: +81-(0)3-3505-1002 Fax: +81-(0)3-3505-1007
1-13-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-8403
http://suntory.jp/HALL/

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May 18, 2017

@ClassicalNEXT: Celebrating the Relevance of Classical Music

The world’s biggest classical music meeting, Classical:NEXT, has opened its doors for its sixth edition. Four days of Expo, Conference and the new ‘Seriously – Adventures in Music’ Showcase Festival lie ahead for the expected 1,200 music professionals, who are coming to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from all over the world and all branches of the classical and contemporary music scenes. Due to the continuing success of the meeting, with a growing expo and programme, organisers Piranha Arts and Rotterdam’s de Doelen Concert Hall and Congress Centre, have announced today that they will continue their cooperation for another three years.

Classical:NEXT

 

The global meeting for all art music innovators Classical:NEXT started its sixth edition today with a break from tradition: for the first time, the Opening was not produced by a single country, but instead was based around the positive answers to the question ‘what’s the point?’. After a music theatre performance ‘Have a Good Day’ as part of associated event Operadagen Rotterdam, the celebratory Classical:NEXT Opening in de Doelen featured the mainland European premiere of the UK’s Chineke! Orchestra, and words from Chineke’s Chi-chi Nwanoku MBE and Afa S. Dworkin of Sphinx Foundation, as well as conductor Marin Alsop and Ahmed Aboutaleb, the popular mayor of Rotterdam, via video.

Growing Expo, Widening Range

Classical:NEXT 2017 is the third time the event is held in the renowned de Doelen Concert Hall and Congress Centre, and it sees music professionals from 44 countries across the world gather to discover, debate and decipher the current, emerging and future trends in classical and art music and beyond across a packed programme including conference sessions, showcase performances, video project pitches and more.

An important part of the meeting is the unique opportunity to network across branches and with colleagues in the growing Expo in de Doelen. This year, the Expo is the biggest yet with 80 stands and almost 300 exhibiting companies and institutions, which amounts to more than a 15% growth compared to last year’s numbers. Classical:NEXT organisers, Berlin-based Piranha Arts, confirmed that delegate registration numbers are already set to match last year’s record number of approximately 1,200 professionals.

 

Music is Better When We Play It Together

In a marked change from previous editions, the Classical:NEXT 2017 Opening Ceremony was presented not as a spotlight of the musical output of a particular nation, but instead asked the question of ‘what’s the point?’ Building upon a prominent topic of last year’s Opening keynotes – the need for continuing relevance – this year, the gala performance was a celebration of just how relevant the classical and contemporary scene can be.

The main performers of the first night were Chineke! Orchestra – Britain’s first black and minority ethnic (BME) orchestra – joined by the resident Doelen Ensemble and musicians and students from Codarts University for the Arts. The concert marked the orchestra’s mainland European debut and featured a selection of pieces by contemporary composers Sarah Kirkland Snider and Errollyn Wallen, as well as Edward Elgar’s Serenade for Strings.

Under the baton of Mortimer Fruber Prize-winning conductor Shaun Matthew, featured soloists included pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, violinist Tai Murray, soprano Nicole Jordan, and double bassist and founder of Chineke! Chi-chi Nwanoku. Nwanoku, who was also a co-director of the Opening, was one of the speakers of the night together with Afa S. Dworkin, president and artistic director of the US-based Sphinx Organization, who enthused:

“I am thrilled to be able to participate in Classical:NEXT this year: particularly, during such a turbulent time for our global society, I am eager to learn from and with colleagues around the globe and explore the immense power of the arts to unite, connect and erase barriers”

As well as those on stage, Classical:NEXT delegates were also joined by speakers via video messages. In this manner, Marin Alsop spoke of the bright future ahead for classical music and asked the pertinent questions: “What can we do to demonstrate our common humanity? What we can we do – individually and collectively – to make positive change?”. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb used his message to explore connections in classical music, from personal, to city-wide, to world-wide.

Throughout the concert were also introductions to projects that epitomise the relevance and change that classical music can stir in communities around the world. The projects included 3 Thousand Rivers from Colombia, the Refugee Orchestra Project from the US, Gondwana Choirs from Australia, Selam Opera! from Germany, Zohra Afghan Women’s Orchestra from Afghanistan and Buskaid Soweto String Project from South Africa.

Chi-chi Nwanoku summed up the atmosphere of the Opening Ceremony with her words: “There is absolutely no reason why people of all backgrounds cannot enjoy the depth, complexity and beauty of classical music.”

The Opening is a joint production of Chineke! Foundation, Sphinx Organization, de Doelen and Piranha Arts. Chineke! Orchestra appears with the kind support of the GREAT campaign of the United Kingdom Department for International Trade as well as the British Council and PRS for Music Foundation.

 

Programme Overview: Connecting with Audiences Worldwide

The live musical programme for Classical:NEXT is expanded this year, under the title of the ‘Seriously – Adventures in Music’ festival and fully open to the public. Over the span of the event, artists from twelve countries and four continents will grace the Classical:NEXT stages in a range of performance contexts. Performing artists span the scene from emerging stars to art music veterans, including Collectif9, Maarja Nuut and David Krakauer.

In addition to the international jury-selected Showcase programme presented in de Doelen, a fresh format for this Classical:NEXT 2017 will allow delegates and public audiences to explore contemporary classical music in the intimate and informal settings of two of Rotterdam’s hippest club venues, BIRD and WORM. These Club Showcases comprise four live performances curated by Classical:NEXT director Jennifer Dautermann and Nonclassical artistic director Gabriel Prokofiev. A mainstay of the live programme at Classical:NEXT in Rotterdam is Lunch with the Resident, providing audiences with an opportunity to discover the breadth of Dutch musical talent with short lunchtime concerts organised by local partners de Doelen.

Two projects are highlighted in bespoke off C:N showcases. The Nordic Music Days 2017 will be represented by Distractfold Ensemble, and MusMa (partnered with the European Festival Association and European Broadcasting Union) will present the first collected performance of five specially-commissioned 2017 works, performed by Amôn Quartet from Belgium. In a collaboration initiated in 2016, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will perform as part of the official Classical:NEXT programme, with a concert entitled ‘The Sea, The Sea!’. The performance will feature pieces by Michael Gordon and John Luther Adams, the orchestra conducted by Bas Wiegers and piano by Tomoko Mukaiyama.

For the first time at Classical:NEXT, the EBU will also record the international showcases for national radio stations, as well as making them available for radio stations worldwide, giving performing artists the maximum opportunity for visibility.

Further highlights of Classical:NEXT will be the interactive conference – the core of many Classical:NEXT delegates’ experience – with a total of 59 sessions and representatives from respected companies including Boosey & Hawkes, Carnegie Hall, Naxos, London Symphony Orchestra and many more offering new perspectives and concrete take-home know-how for the delegates.

The event will conclude with Saturday’s Closing Ceremony featuring a showcase of Trip Trip Trip and centred around the third Classical:NEXT Innovation Award, the winning project or person of which is decided by online vote, open to all delegates, from a shortlist selected by industry experts and journalists from 18 countries.

 

Classical:NEXT at Home in Rotterdam for Three More Years

Having grown in both size and reputation in its three years being held in Rotterdam, organisers Piranha Arts and de Doelen Concert Hall and Congress Centre today announced that the Classical:NEXT event will return to Rotterdam for a further three editions. Also revealed were the dates of Classical:NEXT 2018, which will be held 16 – 19 May 2018.

May 13, 2017

@AirCanada receives #FIMAirlineOfChoice Award – Press Release

On 11 May 2017, the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), which represents professional musicians and their trade unions in more than 60 countries, awarded the newly created FIM Airline of Choice award to Air Canada. The ceremony took place during the opening evening of the 4th FIM International Orchestra Conference hosted by the Quebec Musicians Guild (local 406 of the AFM).

FIM President John Smith, Senior Vice Presdient Air Canada Craig Landry, FIM Vice-President Deborah Cheyne

FIM and its member unions have been campaigning for several years with the aim of improving airlines’ policies so that musicians traveling with their instrument are treated fairly and are fully informed about regulations governing the transportation of musical instruments. The international jury set-up by FIM established that the Canadian company was clearly ahead of its competitors in this respect.

According to Benoît Machuel, FIM General Secretary, “Air Canada goes clearly beyond the requirements of the FAA regulation in the US – which today is the benchmark – by offering a 50% discount on a second seat for an instrument when necessary, as well as giving priority boarding to musicians and their instruments. Air Canada’s policy towards musicians is in our view exemplary.”

The FIM President, John Smith, declared: “It is satisfying to see that the air transport sector is gradually adapting itself to musicians’ needs. Unfortunately, too many companies still have unthought out policies that are often applied in an erratic and unpredictable manner. This is incompatible with a profession that, by its very nature, involves frequent travelling.”

“The Canadian Federation of Musicians has been working with our airlines for some time”, said AFM Vice President from Canada Alan Willaert. ‘We are very pleased that Air Canada listened, and have taken steps to greatly enhance the travel experience for musicians and their very valuable tools of trade.”

“For over 35 years Air Canada has been a long-time supporter of orchestral music in Canada. As official airline of eight major symphony orchestras in Canada from coast to coast, we have proudly flown them and their talented musicians around the world from China to Europe and the U.S. on many tours and to world famous concert halls including Carnegie Hall,” said Craig Landry, Senior Vice President, Revenue Optimization at Air Canada. “Our dedication to orchestras and music extends much further than being Official airline of these outstanding organizations. In 2015 we implemented industry leading enhancements designed to support the specific needs of all musicians travelling with carry-on instruments, including pre-boarding benefits and a generous discount when purchasing an additional seat for their instrument.”

The FIM Airline of Choice award 2017 was received on behalf of Air Canada by Senior Vice President Mr Craig Landry, in the presence of 200 international FIM delegates.

Information

Benoît Machuel, FIM General Secretary

Mobile: +33 660 625 494

office@fim-musicians.org

https://www.fim-musicians.org/

 

May 26, 2016

Five Years of @ClassicalNEXT – Opening in Rotterdam – 2017 Dates and Location

Congratulations! Classical:NEXT, the global meeting for all art music innovators, opened its 2016 edition on May 25 with a ‘Dutch Mountains’ gala opening in de Doelen concert hall, including keynote speeches by Dr Clemens Trautmann, CEO of Deutsche Grammophon; Hans-Hermann Rehberg of the Berlin Radio Choir; and Beth Morrison of Beth Morrison Projects, as well as the star conductor Michael Tilson Thomas via video.

Classical:NEXT

Classical:NEXT

Classical:NEXT celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, gathering music professionals from 45 countries from all over the world for four days of conferences, showcase concerts and networking at the expo. The registration numbers were up by more than 10% before the event even started, with more one thousand participants confirmed by organisers Piranha Arts – exact numbers are to follow with the final press release on Saturday.

Immediately embraced by many labels and distributors when it was initiated in 2012, the Classical:NEXT community has expanded considerably within five editions, as the live sector and music media have also made it their international platform. Meanwhile, the event has developed into the biggest meeting for artists, entrepreneurs and multipliers from all branches of the classical and contemporary music scene.

This year marks the second time Classical:NEXT, which is organised by Berlin-based Piranha Arts, takes place in Rotterdam with the main venue and local production partner being Rotterdam’s renowned de Doelen concert hall and congress centre.

“It is truly amazing to see the development of Classical:NEXT – it appears to flourish in its Dutch home,” believes Classical:NEXT Director Jennifer Dautermann. “Not too surprising, actually, considering the context of the optimal conditions offered by our hosts, the city and the cultural scene in the Netherlands overall.”

Neil Wallace, programme director of de Doelen and also producer of this year’s opening enthuses: “This year feels even more exciting than last year – you can literally feel the Classical:NEXT vibe throughout the city, running into international artists and classical music professionals networking everywhere.“
Dutch Mountains Opening presents Netherlands’ finest

After Austria, Luxembourg and Canada, this year’s opening country was the Netherlands. The ceremony was produced by Classical:NEXT 2016 hosts De Doelen, who are also celebrating their 50th anniversary this month.

For a country renowned for its flatness, the heights the Netherlands’ art music were very much on show at the Classical:NEXT 2016 gala Opening. The “Dutch Mountains” Opening featured a wide range of Dutch talent. The concert was heralded by contemporary marching band 9 x 13 and featured classical guitar innovator Aart Strootman (who performed the world premiere of his ‘Counterpoint 21’), sonic adventurers Ensemble Klang, boundary-breaking collective LUDWIG (who tonight announced the inclusion of Barbara Hannigan as a member of its collective), celebrated proponent of ‘pianism’ Ralph van Raat and anti-traditional percussion ensemble Slagwerk Den Haag all took to the stage. These glimpses into the Dutch art music world were connected and interwoven with specially-commissioned work by pioneering video-maker Jules van Hulst of the acclaimed 33⅓ Collective. A tutti performance of Louis Andriessen’s piece ‘Workers Union’ wrapped-up the tightly-curated evening that brought together such disparate  as operatic spinning tops, jawbones-as-percussion and tales of Buddhist moss-gardens.

The opening was produced on behalf of, and with the support of, Dutch Performing Arts. The opening artists were selected by De Doelen, advised by young Dutch curators Masa Spaan, Shane Burmania and Floris Kortie.

“Create works that tell the story of our time”: Keynotes give food for thought – Deutsche Grammophon and Apple Music announce new cooperation

A highlight of the evening was the keynote address, which was split four ways: statements were made by Dr Clemens Trautmann, CEO of Deutsche Grammophon, Hans-Hermann Rehberg of the Berlin Radio Choir, and Beth Morrison of Beth Morrison Projects, and a specially-recorded video message was delivered by world-famous conductor and orchestral director Michael Tilson Thomas.

Acknowledging Classical:NEXT as one of the industry’s most important events, Trautmann exclusively announced Deutsche Grammophon’s new initiative with Apple Music, creating a curated online space which can become a “prime destination for veteran followers, as well as new listeners”. (More details will follow in their press release on Thursday 26 May).

A prominent topic of the keynote was the need for continuing accessibility and relevance. Morrison urged the art music world to “create works that tell the story of our time”; Trautmann gave advice for the assembled Classical:NEXT delegates: “Stay curious, stay hungry and stay paranoid. As we know, only the paranoid survive. But most importantly, have fun!”; and Rehberg summarised the core tennet of Classical:NEXT in proclaiming “the reason why I am here is to talk to many of you in order to get new ideas, be inspired and create something new for both the Berlin Radio Choir and its audience”.

For downloadable press photographs from the Opening concert, see below.
New Programme Items, New Networks and Fellowships

New features this year include focuses on “NEXT:Tech” and music theatre, with extra conference programme as well as Operadagen Rotterdam and the Music Theatre Now competition being held parallel to Classical:NEXT, next door. New networks are also present at Classical:NEXT and engaging with the programme, e.g. with Codarts (Rotterdam’s renowned conservatory and university for the arts) and PRS for Music Foundation (the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development across all genres) starting a Classical:NEXT Fellowship programme for young composers and artists. The two organisations have both selected three outstanding talents and are enabling them to visit Classical:NEXT 2016 in Rotterdam to engage with more than 1,000 classical music professionals.

Ongoing network initiatives include and international orchestra network as well as an “indie classical” network. The world’s largest distributor and classical label Naxos held their meeting earlier in the week of Classical:NEXT and both organisers announced that they will continue to find the most convenient solution possible for international delegates to attend both events. Head of Naxos Klaus Heymann will speak in a talk, which will be part of the public Classical:NEXT Festival. The Festival will feature eleven international showcase acts, plus further Dutch talent and an appearance of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and a Classical Music Rave from Thursday until Saturday. The final day of the event will see proceedings come to a close with the ceremony of the second Classical:NEXT Innovation Award for outstanding projects, which were voted on by the Classical:NEXT online community.
Classical:NEXT 2017 – in Rotterdam again

With the success of what are now two editions and the location very well accepted among delegates and artists alike, Piranha Arts and de Doelen have agreed to hold Classical:NEXT in Rotterdam again next year; the dates of this sixth edition will be 17 – 20 May 2017.
Useful links for press

You can find photographs from tonight’s Opening concert at the dedicated Dropbox folder, as well as more from the event to be updated throughout the week, at the Classical:NEXT 2016 Press Photos Dropbox.

More downloadable media, including audio and video to come, can be found in the press section of the Dropbox.

For more information on the Classical:NEXT 2016 Opening concert, visit the Opening page at classicalnext.com.
September 10, 2015

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Boston Symphony Orchestra enter into a new alliance

The freshly annouced strategic alliance between the Gewandhausorchester and the Boston Symphony opens a new window of globalization in the arts.

Gewandhaus Leipzig, Germany

Gewandhaus Leipzig, Germany

Historically, a long standing tradition unites the Gewandhausorchester and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. These mutual ties are now intensified with Andris Nelsons’ appointment as Gewandhauskapellmeister from the 2017/18 season.
The history of close cultural connections between Leipzig and Boston began in 1881, when the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s (BSO) founder, Henry Lee Higginson, appointed Leipzig Conservatory-trained Georg Henschel as its first conductor. Subsequent conductors of the BSO, including Wilhelm Gericke, Emil Pauer, Max Fiedler, Karl Muck, and most importantly, Arthur Nikisch, were all educated in Leipzig and also held posts with the Gewandhausorchester (GWO). From the middle of the twentieth century, the connection was reinforced when Charles Münch became the Music Director of the BSO in 1949, remaining in the position until 1962. Münch was also educated in Leipzig and had been Concertmaster of the Gewandhausorchester from 1926 to 1933. In addition, Boston’s Symphony Hall (1900) presents a structure inspired by the second Gewandhaus.
Based on this historic bond, and under the leadership of Andris Nelsons, Mark Volpe, Managing Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Gewandhausdirektor Andreas Schulz are planning a unique multi-dimensional partnership to explore and share the heritage and strengths of both ensembles.

Various aspects of this cooperation include:

Co-commissions and Educational Initiatives
The BSO/GWO Alliance, under the leadership of Andris Nelsons, will feature a series of co-commissions, with new works presented each year of the partnership, starting with a work by German composer Jörg Widmann to be presented in Boston and Leipzig in the 2017-18 concert season. Several European and American composers, representing a diversity of styles and generations, will also be commissioned for performance by both ensembles. The Alliance will also focus on some key educational initiatives including a program that will give Conducting Fellows of the Tanglewood Music Center (BSO’s acclaimed summer music academy at its summer home in western Massachusetts) an opportunity to assist Andris Nelsons with his work with the Gewandhausorchester. BSO musicians will also take part in the GWO’s music education programs.

Programming Highlighting Each Orchestra’s Musical Heritage
During the 2017-2018 subscription season, the BSO will celebrate “Leipzig Week in Boston” at Symphony Hall and the GWO will celebrate “Boston Week in Leipzig” at the Gewandhaus, giving each orchestra an opportunity to focus on some of the repertory for which their partner organization is best known. Since its founding in 1743, the GWO has been associated with some of the greatest figures of music history, having given the premiere of works by Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms; this tradition continued into the 20th century with scores by such significant composers as Henze, Kanscheli, and Rihm, among others. The BSO’s own compositional legacy is, likewise, without parallel, including some of the seminal scores of the last century from composers ranging from Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Bartok, to Messiaen, and Dutilleux and a myriad of Americans including, Copland, Bernstein, Sessions, Carter, and Harbison, among others. The BSO/GWO Alliance will provide an opportunity for each orchestra to program a selection of works by composers particularly associated with each of these great orchestras; this programming strand will also be highlighted in chamber music performances, lectures, panel discussions, and exhibits, with the goal of inspiring a new understanding of this great repertoire.

BSO Performing at Gewandhaus and GWO Peforming at Symphony Hall
One of the most exciting components of the Alliance will be a chance for the BSO to perform at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig and the GWO to perform at Symphony Hall in Boston, giving each orchestra’s audience a chance to appreciate this new partnership first hand. The BSO/GWO Alliance will also explore musician exchanges between the two orchestras.
This segment of the cooperation will begin on May 5, 2016, when the Boston Symphony Orchestra will give its premiere guest performance in the Gewandhaus.

Christoph Wolff, Artistic Advisor
Christoph Wolff, Adams University Professor at Harvard University, Director of the Bach Archive from
2001 to 2013 in Leipzig, and author of numerous acclaimed texts on the history of music from the 15th and 20th centuries, will serve as an artistic advisor to the BSO/GWO Alliance (please see bio below). Further details about the programs of the BSO/GWO Alliance will be announced at a later date.

Quote by Andris Nelsons
“I am thrilled to accept the appointment of Gewandhauskapellmeister alongside my music directorship with the remarkable Boston Symphony Orchestra,” said Andris Nelsons. “It is also an immense privilege to be partnering these two world class institutions—each with their own deeply rich musical heritage — and to be leading them in an innovative and forward-thinking alliance spanning two continents. This wonderful new alliance between the BSO and GWO will give us a unique opportunity to explore each of these orchestra’s great music traditions, as well as create exciting and meaningful new experiences for our audiences at home and around the world. We are very much looking forward to the musical journey that lies ahead.”

May 27, 2015

Buenos Aires opens new Concert Hall

For a long time things didn’t run well in Argentina. And there are still many issues waiting to be improved, especially in the arts sector. Teatro Colón for example is suffering from severe mismanagement.

However, on May 21st 2015 a new arts centre (including a 1750-seat-concert hall) has been open in the more-than-refurbished former Main Post Office, downtown Buenos Aires (“Centro Cultural Kirchner“). Old architecture is combined with cutting-edge technical equipment. Acoustics are reported to be superb. One mustn’t agree with the Kirchner regime in political questions at all, but this new building seems to be an outstanding and interesting new hot spot for the National Symphony Orchestra as well as for internationally touring orchestras.

Watch the government “propaganda” video, which at least offers a good impressions of the new venue and the whole project:

October 4, 2014

Musical short breaks: Between pleasure and profit

There is a particular segment of the tourism business which is growing: musical holidays and short breaks, organized around a particular event, usually combined with other leisure activities.

Bayreuth Festspielhaus

Bayreuth Festspielhaus

This sector is fragmented, especially in Germany and Central Europe. Small, family-run businesses are as present as large travel organizations, and increasingly media companies too, seeking to capitalize on their audiences’ affinity to classical music. For musical breaks do attract a specific clientele, often retired, well-educated and well-off. Its expectations are high, as are administrative efforts: packages should feel individual enough, non-mainstream events are increasingly sought after, and planning can be tricky as concert halls and opera houses have a different planning horizon from travel organizations.  – The Bayreuth Festival (pictured) is an example for successful international music tourism.

Opera houses and concert halls, on the other hand, see music holidays very much from a distribution and marketing perspective: organized tours can bring whole coach loads of visitors, travel organizations purchase substantial ticket quotas and a listing by select organizers adds to the status and attraction of a destination. For the customers, it is a number of factors that make for a successful musical break, though given the typically upmarket target group it all comes down to attention: to details (like backstage visits), to carefully planned day-time activities (including free leisure time), to friendly service, exclusive offers and high-standard accommodation: the customer is king and wants to feel it.

Musically qualified tour guides are employed by many of the travel organizers. Their expertise is often seen as an integral part of the specific attraction and value of musical holidays. “Celebrity” guides can be a particular selling point, though their input needs to be clearly evaluated – sometimes a one-off backstage meeting may be appropriate, at other times they may accompany the group throughout the trip.

An unique case is the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, which runs its own “tourism department”, organizing and selling its own holiday packages. While the administrative effort is high, the strategy does allow for tailor-made offers and direct contact with a demanding clientele that appreciates a personalized service.