Wendy Levy on Audience Engagement

by Cait Carvalho on February 14, 2012 in Audience Building

Wendy Levy asserts the importance of targeting an audience early on in production.

From the 2011 Independent Filmmaker Conference.

Comments

Clarinda
on 03 08 2012

Once upon a time, I turned pages for Jamie when he performed the Kreutzer Sonata at a studio class. This was before I played it myself, so I was unfamiliar with the theme & variations movement. There’s one particular variation which is 2 straight pages of 16th notes, and 2 repeats. I made the mistake of glancing away from the page for a second, and discovered to my horror when I looked back that I couldn’t remember a) where we were, and b) whether we had done the repeats. I ended up half-standing & hovering for what seemed like an eternity, with Jamie kindly giving me subtle no shakes and finally a clear yes nod.Then there was the time that I turned for a friend playing in a vocal recital @ Scotiafest. He asked me at the last minute as a favour, so I accepted, forgetting that I was battling the remnants of a nasty cough. There’s nothing like being on stage and NOT BEING ALLOWED TO COUGH that will make you want to cough up a lung. I managed to get through the entire thing without once coughing during a piece, but then had a friend in the audience comment on the odd expression on my face at various times.
Koyie
on 03 14 2012

Hazel thanks for your note. (LOVE The Sartorialist!!). All black is often the default colour because it’s the easier to unify (imagine an ensemble full of slightly different shades of red), it’s easy on the eyes, and the audience tends to focus more on the music than if the ensemble were wearing different colours. The problem with saying go for it, wear any colour is what one person considers stylish another will consider completely inappropriate. There there’s the issue of colour clashing. And in classical music, there are known stereotypes about what kind of dress is associated with certain types of music. Opera performers (and audiences) tend to go all out with style and flamboyance; Baroque performers (and audiences) tend not to consider fashion a big deal and are very low-key with their apparel. Ultimately, no, I don’t think ensembles should be able to wear any colour; then it looks like a rehearsal.
Kylia
on 03 26 2012

Once I received a call offering me a decent sum to turn for a pianist for a chamber music concert. I was pleased to finally get paid for something I’d been doing pro bono for years. I got there early and met with the pianist. He seemed high-strung but some people are before a concert. I clarified repeat issues with him and he assured me he was a clear nodder.The concert began and I soon saw why he was so high-strung; his mediocre technique and limited musicality made him a bad choice to play the well-known Beethoven and Brahms trios he was tackling (almost literally, football player style). We got towards the end of the first page and he did not nod. I figured, Maybe he likes memorize the beginning of the next page and have late turns. Nope as we reached the last two beats he abruptly turned his heard toward me and, in a low, gruff voice barked, Turn! This disagreeable ritual was repeated for most of the performance. I thought it might have been less disruptive for him and the audience to nod as he said. No such luck. I made it through and didn’t mess it up, but he really unnerved me and I dare say I was very deserving of my pay that evening.
Rangler
on 03 27 2012

Hi Rosemary,Thank you for updating me on missing classmate Richard Wells. You were right that he was not inthe class of 1962. I had recently emailed his brother Dan, and he informed me that Richard hasbeen teaching and living in China the last six years.Regard, Charlene (Demonet) Fisher

Resources

Wendy Levy on Audience Engagement

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