Karl Miller wrote:

>I wonder...over the years, I have read of so many attempts to interest
>develop a younger audience for classical music, yet the market surveys
>I have seen over they years, all seem to point to the age range of the
>audience for classical music, remaining the same.

Does anyone know of a proven pedagogical methodology for attracting
younger audiences to classical music? For me, I keep wondering why the
same methodologies (especially dumbing down content) keep being held in
such high regard, when I know of no empirical evidence to support their
efficacy.

I am reminded of a thread on this list (several years ago) where many
of us told of what attracted us initially to classical music.  I don't
recall there being any commonality."

Here in Tucson, where I live, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra presents
excellent, free music-appreciation concerts once a month for children.
The goal of each program is to demonstrate different instruments of the
orchestra in an entertaining way.  Lots of children and their parents
regularly come, and everyone seems to have a great time.

I wonder, though, if anyone has ever produced a serious study that shows
that children who participate in such activities end up attending concerts
regularly as adults.  I suspect that a concert-going patron's love of
music is the result of meaningful hands-on experience with it in childhood.
That means taking lessons and performing.

Ken Keuffel
Writer/Editor/Publicist
www.webspawner.com/users/kkeuffel