Live Recordings are killing live music 2

Following on from yesterday’s post about Sir John’s CD earner, I found a press release from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The SSO have teamed up with a Broadband ISP to webcast live performances from the orchestra.

Libby Christie, Managing Director of the Sydney Symphony says: “We strongly believe that every Australian should have the opportunity to experience a classical music concert.  This is an exciting development for the Sydney Symphony as our audiences will expand greatly beyond the confines of the Concert Hall to, potentially, hundreds of thousands of people to hear some of the world’s finest music. 

In an age where most orchestras are struggling to balance the books, audience numbers are dwindling and concert-halls often half empty, should we really be giving people more reasons to avoid attending? Afterall, who will find out about these webcasts? The very same people, probably, who would have attended the concerts live. Also, by watching the orchestra on a 17″ monitor, and small speakers, do you really get “the opportunity to experience a classical music concert”?

It’s all beginning to smack of trying to tempt the techno-savvy teens to see how good the “classical” sound setting is on their Ipod…

Sydney Symphony Orchestra News