A large study of classical music audiences, published in October 2002, found that people attend live orchestral performances for many reasons beyond the music itself. In fact, the study identified seven distinct values that audiences place on the live orchestral experience, with only one directly related to artistic or educational goals.

Here's an excerpt from the study's final report:

Some people use classical concerts to entertain visiting friends and family members ('occasion value'), while others use concerts as a means of nurturing and sustaining their personal relationships ('relationship enhancement value'). In focus groups, classical consumers quickly start talking about the 'healing and therapeutic value' of classical music and the 'spiritual or transformational value.' These layers of benefits and values surround the actual artistic and educational experience, which is what orchestras sell.

Understanding the range of values that drive audiences to engage in creative experience is a fundamental requirement for arts marketing, development, education, and community outreach. Only recently have such studies started to dig into the question.

SOURCE: Classical Music Segmentation Study: How Americans Relate to Classical Music and Their Local Orchestras, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, October 2002. Details available on-line.

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