Mannes orchestral students are pleasantly surprised to not be playing to empty concert halls, but the meager audiences they now pull leave them wishing they could share their music with more people.
During a Dvorak concert on September 26 and again during a Beethoven performance four days later, around 60 to 100 people settled into the 812 seats at the Tishman Auditorium.
The Mannes School of Music used to be located at West 85th Street near Lincoln Center but moved downtown during the Fall 2015 semester to join with the Jazz and Drama schools. But since then, student music groups like the Mannes Orchestra have been struggling to find a stable audience for their many performances.
Mark Serkin, a junior cellist and member of the Mannes orchestra, is pleased with the increased turnout of audience members, but would like to see more support from students from other colleges in the university.
“Since we’re already down here, I would prefer people from the other schools to maybe come and check it out,” said Serkin. “It’s a different experience seeing an orchestra in person and listening to it or even the New York Phil because in the New York Phil, you see a finished product. But, when you see us, you see a constant growth.”
Chris Gulhaugen, the large ensemble personnel manager, feels optimistic with the increase in numbers at Mannes performances. Even though the Dvorak symphony concert received a crowd of more than 100 spectators, Gulhaugen said he was disappointed because he had initially expected more. However, the concert coincided with the first presidential debate, which may have affected the audience turnout for that particular show.
According to several Mannes orchestra members, only about 10 people were present during their Mozart concert that took place at the Event Cafe and the Tishman Auditorium on September 12th. Now, compared to the more than 60 people who attended the Beethoven recital, orchestral members speculate it may be because of the well-known piece they performed, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
“I feel like people who don’t even know Beethoven Five itself; they know the theme. So I guess the poster kind of spelled it out,” said Grace Coolidge, a sophomore violinist. The promotional flyers were emblazoned with a large “Da – Da – Da – Dah!!” and posted around Arnold Hall and the University Center.
The poster marks a new approach that the College of Performing Arts is pursuing to engage its audience.
Brittany Martorella, who was hired last April as coordinator of special projects, said the college is trying to present such concerts and events in a more “New School centric-way.” Martorella referred to several newsletters that vary in language depending on the recipient, as well as the college utilizing social media such as Instagram and Facebook posts to promote performances.
Additionally, the college intends to organize more informal occasions for people to encounter music at the university. Annabelle Avenier-Ramirez, the performance and ensemble manager, stressed that these smaller group performances at locations like the Glass Box at Arnhold Hall and the Event Cafe at the University Center are to promote an accessibility between colleges, as well as listeners with live music.
Whether all of these efforts are actually affecting audience turnout is unknown, however, Performing Arts students are no longer performing in empty halls. And with the copious collection of recitals scheduled, New School students are finding access to free music around campus.
Photo by Julia Himmel
Seung Won is the Video Editor for the New School Free Press and currently a senior at Lang majoring in Journalism+Design and minoring in Visual Studies. Born and raised in North Jersey, Seung Won has embraced and mastered the commute into the city, seamlessly weaving through crowds and covering miles of distance without breaking a sweat. When not in transit, Seung Won likes playing music on his guitar, sipping through several cups of coffee, and chillin’ with his cat on the weekends.
