Attendance at the CSO Shows Marked Increase

Big news from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Music director Paavo Järvi at his farewell concert with the CSO, Music Hall, Cincinnati, May 14, 2011 (photo by Richie Hawley)

Not just that it performs in the biggest concert hall in the U.S. (perhaps the world), Music Hall on Elm Street.  But that the CSO sold it out three times during the 2010-2011 season.

The sellouts were (according to CSO director of communications Christopher Pinelo):

          May 14. Music director (now music director laureate) Paavo Järvi’s farewell concert (Saturday night performance)

 May 3. Järvi and cellist Yo Yo Ma

 March 11. “Classical Roots: Lift Ev’ry Voice” (a non-subscription event)

First of all, just how big is Music Hall?  According to the Music Hall web site, the official seating capacity is 3,516.  The CSO counts 3,417, because of areas reserved for handicapped access (wheelchairs) and space taken up by the pit in front of the stage.

 By comparison, New York’s Carnegie Hall holds 2,804; Symphony Hall in Boston, 2,625; Orchestra Hall in Chicago, 2,500; Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, 2,265; and Cleveland’s Severance Hall, 2,100.  Comparisons outside the U.S. are even more startling:  the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Musikverein in Vienna, two of the best concert halls in the world, hold 2,000 and 1,744, respectively.  Even in China, the new Beijing Concert Hall seats 1,120.  By those standards, CSO concerts would sell out much of the time.

The CSO released a figure of 3,467 for Jarvi’s May 14 farewell when extra seats had to be brought in to handle the overflow.  The Jan. 29 concert featuring pianist Andre Watts was nearly a sell-out at 3,409.

Other top-sellers during the CSO Music Hall season were:

Feb. 19. Järvi, pianist Alexander Toradze, 3,104

May 13. Järvi, pianist Awadagin Pratt, 2,960

Oct. 2. Järvi, soprano Kathleen Battle, 2,820

Apr. 9. Guest conductor Roberto Abbado, pianist Peter Serkin, 2,444

Feb. 26. Guest conductor Peter Oundjian, pianist Yefim Bronfman, 2,416

May 7. Järvi, clarinetist Martin Fröst, 2,202

Dec. 4. Guest conductor Hans Graf, pianist Jeffrey Kahane, 2,108

March 12. Guest conductor Louis Langrée, cellist Jian Wang, 2,104

In addition to the music director and guest artists, repertoire is always a prime consideration in the decision to attend a concert, and Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky (“Pictures at an Exhibition”) and Dvorak (“New World Symphony”) were powerful draws during the season.

What makes the CSO’s “big” news even bigger is that it bucks the industry trend, with many orchestras, even among the top ranks, reporting difficulties, even bankruptcy (Honolulu, Louisville, Philadelphia, Syracuse).  Average attendance for CSO Music Hall concerts this season was 1,752, the highest in five years, Pinelo said.  Total attendance was 81,059 (excluding “Classical Roots”) representing an 11.5 percent increase over 2009-2010.

Turning to the Cincinnati Pops, there were no complete sellouts this season, but there were 12
concerts with attendance exceeding 2,000.  Top seller was "Happy Holidays with the Cincinnati Pops" on December 12, which drew 3,056 people.  A total of 8,322 attended the holiday concert over three performances.  Others topping 2,000 included Idina Menzel, "Pops Goes Celtic," Neil Sedaka, "The Music of Denver" and "Oh, What a Night!"  Pops conductor designate John Morris Russell led nine concerts (three different programs).  Total Pops attendance was 46,433, representing a 15.5 percent increase over last season.

 Note that these figures are not all-inclusive of what the CSO does since they do not include “Classical Roots,” Lollipop Family concerts, Young People’s concerts, the annual New Year’s Eve concert, Patron Appreciation concert, the ArtsWave Sampler concert and CSO Chamber Players concerts.

Counting all performances produced by the CSO so far this season, the total stands at 158,504, said Pinelo.  This does not include CSO performances for Cincinnati Ballet and the May Festival, nor will it include Cincinnati Opera productions this summer.  Final season figures will be compiled at the end of the fiscal year in August.  Yet to be tallied are CSO and Pops concerts at Riverbend.