Creating an Audience Development Committee That Works

For many of us (the "passionate purveyors" of choral music), the season can seem full-to-bursting with the myriad tasks involved in musical preparation and the management of internal and external logistics. Amidst this flurry of activity, when is the right time to start thinking about "who will come" to our concerts? Who has the time, and whose job is it anyway? Is it possible to "get ahead" of the question? When tackled by a group of like-minded stakeholders, the issue of "how to bring in the audience” can be transformed from a source of anxiety to an empowering focus for the entire organization, leveraging everything your choir does to greater effect, creating synergies amongst your board, staff, and singers, boosting morale, and improving your bottom line. Attend this interactive session to hear how the Vancouver Chamber Choir’s audience development committee produced real results, and to brainstorm with fellow conferees about ways you can adapt these ideas for your own organization.

Introduction: Leonard Ratzlaff, professor of choral music, University of Alberta