OldSouth, to anyone who follows his scribbles, loves his visits to Louisville, Kentucky. It is truly one of the great places of North America, and if the professional planets aligned, he and Mrs. OS would happily relocate there.
So, today's announcement of a Chapter 11 filing by Louisville Orchestra is sad news, a public admission that a once-great organization has cornered itself into a major problem over the years.
OS made a previous mention of its travails, and quotes the questions he posed to both sides.
One question needs to be answered by the musicians first, with one following upon it:
'Articulate why this music is essential to the culture--why is it important that it should be performed in this city? What are you doing, and what would you be willing to do, past showing up to rehearsals and concerts well-prepared, to make certain it lives in the minds and hearts of the people around you, your neighbors?'
To management: 'This orchestra used to be an integral part of life in this city. What was the business model that worked, and how can it be applied now?'
A bankruptcy filing, properly undertaken, is not necessarily a bad thing. It is an admission, before things come totally unwound, that a business is not functioning, and that everyone involved must step back and sort the issues out. Not just the cash-flow issues, 'cuz that's just symptoms. What has to be truly sorted is the entire business model, and the role of the business in the world around it.
We are now in the age of The New Normal. The cultural ground has shifted under our feet in major ways, as has the economic ground. It is going to take a long, long time to dig this country out of a recession caused by at least forty years of wrong-headed excesses. Even then, we are not going to look like we did in the 1950's, sad to say.
So, where (and how) does a business in the business of presenting high-quality orchestra music function in The New Normal? Management cannot assume that a high percentage of the populace of Louisville could answer the question 'How many symphonies did Beethoven compose?', since many respondents might ask 'Who's Beethoven?', or 'Isn't he that dog in the old Disney movie?'. And that's among respondents in the prosperous neighborhoods!
First and foremost, OS preaches, the orchestra must be an organization that teaches, filled with musicians that teach, and vitally integrate themselves into the churches, synagogues, schools and neighborhoods of the city. Families of motivated music students buy tickets and write donation checks. They are core audience. Management must find ways to encourage that process along as well. Without core audience, nothing else matters.
Concerts need to take place in the neighborhood venues, (churches, schools, union halls, fraternal lodges, ball parks etc.) because driving downtown at night and attempting to park is a pain. And, as nice as downtown is, it's still downtown at night in a major city. Stuff happens there, and people who don't go there at night don't run the risk of any of it happening to them that evening.
Look at models that work--the minor league baseball team seems to be thriving? Why?
People go downtown for that. What are they doing right? OS has booked group outings there, and the experience was first-rate.
On and on it goes.
And, the good news is: Nashville Symphony went through Chapter 11 in the late 80's. It was messy, but eventually, and with the leadership and generosity of a major patron, they turned it around, moved into a fabulous new hall, and have a core audience.
And a future.
Louisville Orchestra can as well, if they're willing to go through the messy part, ask the right questions, and plan for a new life in The New Normal.
Good luck to them.
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