“…if you ask me, the orchestral sound is one of the most thrilling things on earth. Yet there is something profoundly wrong with the deep structure of the orchestra and this is connected to the way it fails to unite the past of its tradition and the present-day state of musical creativity.”

After reading your post, it was these few lines that kept coming back to me. I agree with you, about the sheer thrill of the orchestral sound. The momentum and energy that a mass of bodies working in synchronicity like this can produce is truly sublime. And yet, you continue to write that there are musicians, composers and conductors who struggle to find their inspiration within the walls of the orchestra. Is the bridge to unite the orchestra’s rich tradition with our worlds’ present day musical creativity and exploration unbuildable? Or are we, as musicians, artists and patrons reluctant and conflicted (just are you are) to push outside of our comfort zones and venture into an unknown, unconventional, and potentially brilliant musical chapter.

Personally, I love the orchestra. I get excited about the repertoire and the timbres and the silences in between musical thoughts. I feed off of the musical energy that surrounds me, and feel myself transform within the movements. In my opinion however, one of the greatest issues with the orchestra is the vast disconnect between the performance and the audience. The symphony orchestra has shifted away from being a thing of community, expression, and entertainment, and towards something that is elite, untouchable, and ‘stuffy.’

I go to the orchestra often, and the last time I was there I noticed that I was one of only about 10 individuals under the ‘middle-aged’ bracket. And no, it wasn’t a matinee. Where did the 0-35 year olds go? When did they lose interest and jump off?
I feel that this disconnect between the audience and the performance is something that will really effect the future of live music. For orchestras, it was probably facilitated by the introduction of recordings. I can only imagine how much that would have transformed not only each orchestra’s individual voice, but the overall interpretation of sound and performance.

With the sound and media of the orchestra changing so rapidly across the world, it only makes sense that the audiences’ musical knowledge and appreciation would be changing too.
I don’t believe that the orchestra is a thing of the past, and admittedly I would be heartbroken if it slipped through our cultures’ fingers and became obsolete. I do think, however, that it’s dangerous to hold on too closely to a concrete concept of ‘orchestra.’ If we trace it’s path throughout history, the orchestra has evolved dozens of times. Perhaps we’re at the precipice now, and we’re simply waiting for someone to take the reins and run with it.

What’s next?
What do audiences want to hear?
How can we, as musicians, pay tribute to the musical traditions while still propelling forward?
Where can we find and cultivate our artistic expression, if the orchestra doesn’t do it? (Pink Baby Monster?)

One last thought: It’s just as important to study the past, as it is to anticipate and project into the future. The acceptance of change, of the constant ebb and flow of the universe will keep us humble, well-oiled, and rearing to go.