innovation of classical music concerts by hedi schaefer

REDESIGN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC

CONCERT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Research project at the University of Arts Berlin with the use of the Design Research Method Cultural Probesin 2010-2013 by Hedi Schaefer, Design Thinking & Musicology/Media (M.A.) www.hedwig-projects.com

WHAT WHYWHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

REDESIGN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

HEDI SCHAEFER, WWW.HEDWIG-PROJECTS.COM



WHAT WHYWHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

WHAT

IN THE FOLLOWING I AM PRESENTING TO YOU A VERY CONDENSED VERSION OF MY RESEARCH METHOD AND THE OUTCOMES OF A 3 YEAR

LEARNING JOURNEY.

HERE I CREATED 2 CULTURAL PROBE SETS, THAT WERE TESTED AND CONDENSED TO 1.

I LUCKILY FOUND 10 RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS THAT SPEND 2 MONTHS

WITH THE PROBE SETS, CREATED VAUABLE INSIGHTS AND WERE INTERVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY AFTERWARDS.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO 2 EXPERT INTERVIEWS,

AND READ OVER 50 BOOKS.



WHAT WHYWHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

WHY

... DID I GO ON THAT JOURNEY?

BECAUSE

I LOVE CLASSICAL MUSIC SINCE MY EARLY AGE AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A GROWING TASK TO HELP

BALANCE OUR STRAINED AND DRIVEN EVERY DAY LIFE.

POTENTIALLY...

THAT IS WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

„Wird es in zwanzig Jahren noch klassische Konzerte geben?“ Wäre mir diese Frage am Anfang meiner Musikerlaufbahn

gestellt worden, hätte ich sie als völlig hypothetisch und fiktiv abgetan. Weil Konzerte ganz einfach zum Leben dazugehören

und weil Musik die Live-Aufführung so nötig braucht wie der Fisch das Wasser und der Mensch die Luft zum Atmen.

Mittlerweile bin ich nicht mehr so sicher. [...] Wenn es nicht gelingt, das Publikum von morgen zu finden, wird der Konzertbetrieb wie wir ihn kennen, wohl tatsächlich

aussterben.“

DANIEL HOPE, VIOLINIST Source: Hope, Daniel; Knauer; Wolfgang: Wann darf ich klatschen – Ein Wegweiser für Konzertgänger, Reinbek: Rowohlt Digitalbuch, 2009, p. 6.

„Die Krise der Kunstmusik ist weniger

eine der Musik selbst als vielmehr eine der

Darbietungsform.“

MARTIN TRÖNDLE, CULTURAL SCIENTIST Source: Tröndle, Martin (Hg.): Das Konzert – Neue Aufführungskonzepte für eine klassische Form, Bielefeld: Transcript, 2011, P. 9.

THAT IS WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY – FREE TRANSLATION

= HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM, SOMETHING

NEEDS TO CHANGE

DANIEL HOPE, VIOLINIST Source: Hope, Daniel; Knauer; Wolfgang: Wann darf ich klatschen – Ein Wegweiser für Konzertgänger, Reinbek: Rowohlt Digitalbuch, 2009, p. 6.

= IT‘S NOT A CRISIS OF THE

MUSIC AS SUCH, BUT A

CRISIS OF THE FORMAT




WHAT WHY

WHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

Age 0-20

•  Embedded in school curriculum

•  Target of „Education Projects“ („outreach-projects“ of orchestras and ensembles)

Age 50-60

•  Average age of concert goers

WHO USER GROUPS CURRENTLY IN TOUCH WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS

Age 0-20

•  Embedded in school curriculum

•  Target of „Education Projects“ („outreach-projects“ of orchestras and ensembles)

Age 50-60

•  Average age of concert goers

WHO USER GROUP RELEVANT FOR THE FUTURE AND THIS RESEARCH PROJECT

Age 20-50

•  Here I focused on people between 30 and 40 years old.



WHAT WHYWHO

HOWOUTCOME

...AND NOW

THE METHOD OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT: CULTURAL PROBES

„...ARE PROVOCATIVE INSTRUMENTS

GIVEN TO PARTICIPANTS TO INSPIRE NEW FORMS OF

SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATION ABOUT

THEIR LIVES, ENVIRONMENTS, THOUGHTS, AND INTERACTIONS

WITHOUT YOU INTERFERING AS A RESEARCHER.“

Source: Martin, Bella; Hanington, Bruce: Universal Methods

of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design, Effective Solutions.

Beverly, MA 2012, p.54.

HOW

CULTURAL PROBES FOR REDESIGNING THE CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT, BECAUSE...

HOW

BILL GAVER, CREATOR OF THE CULTURAL PROBE METHOD

Source: Interview 2012 in London and

Boehner, Kirsten; Gaver, William; Boucher, Andy: Probes, Goldsmiths University of London 2012, p. 10.

„Quite a lot of things are design. And I’m not going to say I know but I think design is to a great degree a way of thinking and a way of engaging with the world. Certainly what you’re doing sounds like design. You design musical events.“

„In terms of motivation, probes were developed in and for a design process that disregards traditional values in favour of playfulness, exploration and enjoyment.“

Poster: das perfekte

Konzert

1ST PROTOTYPE: OVERLOADED BOX

TESTING WITH BILL GAVER IN LONDON LEARNING •  REDUCE TO 6 PROBES •  USE CLEAR FONT •  SPEAK „LANGUAGE“ OF

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS •  ENHANCE THE FUN FACTOR

FINAL PROTOTYPE: HIPSTER BAG WITH 6 ASSORTED PROBES

THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE CULTURAL PROBES

HOW

Imagine you would be stranded on an island for an

CONVERSATION-PROBES Purpose: These are random questions to open up the research participants, build a relationship and a trust base.

POST CARD: LONELY ISLAND Research Question: „Imagine a lonely island would become your home for an uncertain amount of time. What would you take with you?“ (5 possibilities)

POST CARD: ENCYCLOPEDIA Research Question:

„Your own encyclopedia will be found in 100 years time. Please define 5 preformulated words (friendship,

communication, love, social networks and future) and add 5 words that are most relevant to yourself.“

THE CULTURAL PROBES RESEARCH PACKAGE

HOW

1

Poster: das perfekte

Konzert

BIG PIC-PROBE Purpose: As the classical music concert it strictly ritualized, I wanted to understand, if young people still consider to have such thing. Also, I wanted to find out how they surround eachother in their most private and individual space, considering music and digital devices.

MAP: YOUR LIVING SPACE Research Question: „This is the space for your living space. •  How does the floor layout look like?

(mark in black) •  Do you have morning and / or evening

rituals? (mark in red/blue) •  Where do you listen to music? (mark with

music sticker) •  Where do you have most used digital

devices? (mark with grey sticker) •  Where do you experience magic

moments? (mark with star sticker)“


HOW

2

IN DEPTH-PROBES Purpose: With the following probes I wanted to gain a deeper understanding about the participants‘ attitudes, emotions and wishes towards music in general and classical music specifically.

3

EMOTION FLASH CARDS: ASSOCIATION OF DRUGS WITH MUSIC GENRES AND SONGS Viagra: Which music makes you feel sexy? Speed: Which music makes you high? Wine/Cigarette: Which music relaxes you? Knockout Drops: Which music bores you? Valerian: Which music balances you out? Rennie Antiasit: Which music makes you feel sick?

COMPARISON PAGES: TECHNICAL AND MUSICAL INFLUENCE OF THE BODY


HOW

„This is the outline of your. Where do you wear technical devices? How and where do they influence you?“

„This is the outline of your body. Where do you feel music? How

and where does that influence you?“

IN DEPTH-PROBES

POSTER: YOUR PERFECT CONCERT Research Question: „The time has come to create a poster of your individual perfect concert. •  Where will it take place? •  Who is playing? •  Where is the audience placed? •  Do they bring anything? •  What is the program?“


HOW

3

MAIL QUESTIONS Purpose: With 8 questioning-mails over a period of 2 weeks, I kept the conversation going and gained again insights related to the topic. The questions were random and personal, technique and music related.

Please click one possibility: 1.  Cheese or chocolate? 2. Wine or beer? 3. Global or local? 4. Analog or digital? 5. Tablet computer or laptop? 6. Smartphone or cellphone without internet? 7. Cellphone or watch? 8. Alarm clock or Cellphone ? 9. Cell phone camera or SLR camera? 10. Business cards or cell phone number? 11. App or newspaper? 12. Quiet or loud? 13. Living room couch or bar stool? 14. Public Viewing or living room? 15. Office or Coffee Shop? 16. Fitnessstudio or cross country run? 17. Love or friendship? 18. Facebook-friends or neighbours? 19. Saturday or Thuesday 20. Chamber music or orchestra?

„Today you may finally write an Oscar-Winning Speech for your favourite technical device of all times.“

„Black Friday! Today all power is dead! What is your reaction? Tell me about your feelings?“

„This 10 € I-Tunes Gift Coupon is for you. Which music will you buy? How and when do you listen to it the first time?“

„Imagine you would be best man at your own wedding and would need to give a speech about yourself. What would you say about yourself? Why do people like you? What do you like? How does your relationship to music look like?“

„Imagine I would send you an SMS just this second with the following wording: Would you like to join me at a comcert of the Berlin Philharmonics tonight? – What would be your honest and spontaneous answer?“

„Please write a thank you letter to your most inspiring musical event ever.“

„Have you bought anything special this week? How much was it? Why was it so special?“ „Today is Saturday, what do you do and look especially forward to?“

RANDOM & PERSONAL


HOW

4

TECHNICAL

MUSICAL

By that I found 10 participants, born between 1979 and 1989, classical music lovers to haters, male and female and all based in Berlin.

July 2012 I send 42 mails and calls for participation via private, University and social networks.

August – September 2012 The participants had time to fill out the Cultural Probes individually and without me interfering.

August 2012 Each participant got their individual Cultural Probe package.

October 2012 The filled out package was send back to me, revued and than discussed with each participant in 1h interviews.

THE CULTURAL PROBES PROCEDURE

HOW

THE PARTICIPANTS (WITH CHANGED NAMES)

HOW

Bernd, * 81, Musicologist was born into a musical family and was especially influenced by his father, a cantor, and Bach. He himself played many instruments growing up.

Max, *79, Innovation Coach was singing in many choirs growing up and regularly goes to unusual classical concerts.

Peter, *83, Editor stated that his father was forced into studying violin and hated it. And so Peter never went to

a classical music concert.

Sophie, *89, Studies to become a teacher started with DoReMi at early age and still plays

the flute in an ensemble.

Gia, *85, Mediator & Student for Interaction Design played the piano growing up and nowadays plays and sings in a rock band.

Nina, *81, Project Manager for an Orchestra stated that since she is 5 years old, classical music, playing, and nowadays teaching piano lessons are a big part of her every day life.

Emanuela, *82, Music & Theatre Pedagogue played the flute, the piano and sang in choirs growing up. Today she is working in the opera business.

Franziska, *81, Communication Consultant had little touchpoints with classical music in her

early years but luckily, because of personal connections, she sometimes visits concerts.

Martin, *85, Trainee Mediaschool also had no touchpoints growing up. He went

one time to the Yellow Lounge but can‘t remember who played what.

Jenny, *85, Innovation Consultant played the piano growing up but nowadays

has very little opportunity to listen to a concert.



WHAT WHYWHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

1. PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY VERY INTERESTED TO GO SPONTANEOUSLY

TO CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT

OUTCOME SURPRISES AND MOST INSIGHTFUL FINDINGS

I ASKED: Would you like to join me for a concert of the Berlin

Philharmonics tonight?

ALL SAID: YES, SURE!

Note that no one asked for the ticket price...

2. SPEAKING OF MONEY, THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A BIG ISSUE...

I ASKED: „Have you

bought anything

special this week? How much was

it?“

Gia:

SPEND 255,- € FOR RUNNING EQUIPMENT &

2 BLAZERS

Max:

SPEND 45,- € FOR OUTSTANDING MEAT

FOR A BARBEQUE WITH FRIENDS

Sophie:

SPEND 55,- € FOR

COSMETICS


3. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE TO STAY AT HOME ON A SATURDAY NIGHT

(BEING WITH FRIENDS, FOOD AND DRINKS)

I ASKED: „Today is Saturday.

What do you do and look especially

forward to?“

Sophie:

FOOD & WINE ON THE BALCONY

WITH BOYFRIEND

Max:

GARDEN PARTY WITH NEIGHBOURS

Nina:

PRIVATE WINE TASTING WITH

FRIENDS

Emanuela:

JUST BEING HOME WITH BOYFRIEND

Franziska:

COOKING WITH

FRIENDS


4. IN CASE THEY WOULD BE STRANDED ON AN ISLAND, THEIR PEER

GROUP IS, AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANT.


Sophie: BOYFRIEND & FRIENDS

Franziska: BOYFRIEND & FRIENDS

Bernd: BEST FRIEND

Max: FRIENDS

Nina: FRIENDS & FAMILY

Emanuela: FRIENDS & FAMILY

PAR

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5. THE TERM „CLASSICAL MUSIC“ SEEMS TO BE CONFUSING


Nina: „Classical music is serious music, not bound to one epoch specifically. But honestly I always think about „early music“ like in the 20. and 21. century. New music, I never really consider being classical music.“

Bernd: „Classical music exists until today, can be popular music as well, but with a demand for art and expression.“

Max: „Classical music is at least 80 years old and more often orchestral than chamber music.“

Gia: „Classical music distinguishes itself by its high quality and value. It is complex and you need to understand it.“

5. THE TERM „CLASSICAL MUSIC“ SEEMS TO BE CONFUSING


Jenny: „Classical music is non electronical music with non electronical instruments.“

Martin: „When I hear the term I think about Beethoven, piano, pieces for many instruments and Vivaldi. So classical music for classical instruments. But wait, wrong. You can play classical music on an electric guitar... Oh I don‘t know.“

Peter: „Classical music is like a whiskey, which needs a long time to „ripen“. Whereas pop music is like beer... Classical music is heavy handmade music. Heavy in the sense of long term practicing and studying.“

PAR

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Martin, Bernd, Peter and Jenny are checking mails, Facebook and doing a newscan via laptop in their office- or bed-room. While Nina checks her mails already in bed with her cellphone.

the Laptop turns into an interaction device for Gia, a screen for movies and series for Peter and Martin and a reading device for Jenny. While Nina is again checking mails in bed.

6. „RITUALS“ EXIST IN THE PARTICIPANTS‘ PERCEPTIONS BUT ARE

PURELY RELATED TO THE USAGE OF DIGITAL & COMMUNICATION DEVICES


Right after waking up... Before going to sleep...

IF THE PARTICIPANTS COULD DESIGN THEIR PERFECT CONCERT

EXPERIENCE, THAT WOULD

7. BE HAPPENING OUTSIDE IN THE NATURE


Franziska: AT A LAKE

Gia: IN A FORREST

Jenny: ON THE GRASS

Sophie: IN THE NATURE,WITH A SEETHROUGH RAIN COVER TO SEE THE STARS AT NIGHT

Emanuela: IN A PARK Peter: OPEN AIR

Nina: ON GREEN GRASS

THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE WOULD ALSO...

8. MAKE FREE MOVEMENT AND THE CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVES

POSSIBLE & WOULD OFFER MORE THAN CLASSICAL MUSIC


Franziska: For me it is necessary to change perspectives the whole duration of the concert:

Musicians play on an island and the audience sits on the gras or even swings in hammocks.

Gia: Stages and audience move freely like on clouds.

Jenny: There is a devision between orchestra and audience but nevertheless you can move to different perspectives. And there is no need to stay for the whole concert, people can come and go.

Emanuela: I would have „Listening Islands“ you can hop on and off. These islands are called something like „down to earth“ to lie down or „be creative“ where you can express your emotions you have listening to the concert.

Peter: My Megaevent with 1000 musicians would offer exclusive luxury seats up to simple

spaces on the grass to have a picnic. You can choose!

Nina: My concert comes with a choir, dance, „After Concert - Chill out Zone“ and sound

isolated corners for those who can not or don‘t want to be quiet. A central podium rotates so the audience can watch different angles of the show

while lying down, sitting or dancing.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD ALSO...

9. MAKE SURE FOODS AND DRINKS ARE A MAJOR PART OF THE PROGRAM


Sophie: Healthy and yummy snacks and inexpensive drinks are essential.

Max: I would have a cooking-event with well known and young musicians (all

genres), directors and famous chefs. We cook a 30 course meal. That way chefs

from all over the world help us to find the right taste for the right sound.

Peter: Food and drinks thematically harmonize with the music and epochs, like: „Sugary Baroque“ and „Sober Classic.“

Nina: Snacks and drinks are everywhere.

REMEMBER...

IT‘S NOT A CRISIS OF THE MUSIC AS SUCH, BUT A CRISIS OF THE FORMAT


NOTE THAT THE PROGRAM (THE WHAT) AND THE MUSICIANS (THE WHO) SEEM TO BE NOT REMOTLY AS

IMPORTANT OR IMPORTANT TO

REDESIGN, THAN THE PRESENTATION: THE

HOW

10. NEVERTHELESS THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE SHORT WITH A GREAT

VARIETY & A BREAK AFTER 1 HOUR


Bernd: The Program is 2 hours max,

one half is voted by the audience, the other half is contemporary and seldom

played music. And there is a break after 1 hour.

Peter: My program has 2 slots insight the program, but after 1 hour is always

a break.

11. SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED ELEMENTS

MAKE THE EXPERIENCE MEMORABLE


Emanuela: I was in New York with my boyfriend and we walked

through the Central Park when suddenly there was a stage and the

New York Philharmonic Orchestra was playing in this unconventiounal

atmosphere. That was really special.

Jenny: Most memorable was the spontaneous discovery of a performace during the Documenta in Kassel 2012. Without me knowing what would happen, I was lured into a pitch dark corridor. Around me I heard singing and the movement of dancers. I could really forget about time in there.

Emanuela and Jenny remember their most special

cultural experiences:

12. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST FEELING CLOSE TO THE MUSICIANS MAKE

A CONCERT WORTH WHILE


Max: My favourite concert ever was a Performance of the classical

Kaleidoskop-Ensemble and the Sasha Waltz Dance Company. I

was able to come extremely close to the musicians. To stand eye to eye to the violonist was a breath

taking experience.

Bernd: The best concert I ever experienced was of the London Baroque. Not only the music was fascinating, the musicians were. They did not only play their tunes. It was like they were communicating, they were smiling at each other and really having fun.

Bernd and Max remember their most special

cultural experiences:



WHAT WHYWHO HOW

OUTCOME ...AND NOW

REDESIGN YOUR

CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE...

...AND FILL THAT GAP!

1.  THAT PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY VERY INTERESTED TO GO SPONTANEOUSLY

TO A CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT, UNLESS THERE IS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT GIVES A PUSH AND BUILDS A BRIDGE.

2.  THAT SPENDING MONEY FOR SOMETHING YOUNG PEOPLE CONSIDER

VALUABLE, IS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.

3.  THAT THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE SHOULD FEEL LIKE BEING AT HOME IN A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE WITH EASY-GOING PEOPLE, FOOD AND DRINKS.

4.  THAT AGAIN: DON‘T FORGET THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHEN DESIGNING. SOCIAL INTERACTION, IN A SETTING THAT FEELS FAMILIAR, IS KEY.

5.  TO RETHINK THE TERM „CLASSICAL MUSIC“ AND TO EXPLAIN YOUR PROGRAM THAT EVEN A CHILD COULD UNDERSTAND IT.

6.  THAT THE STRICTLY RITUALIZED CONCERT EXPERIENCE IS NOT UP TO DATE.

DESIGN BY KEEPING IN MIND

7.  TO ORGANIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OR AT LEAST MAKE IT FEEL AS IF BEING OUTSIDE.

8.  TO MAKE FREE MOVEMENT AND THE CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVES DURING THE CONCERT POSSIBLE. AND OFFER A LITTLE MORE THAN CLASSICAL MUSIC: ADD A TWIST, EXPERIMENT!

9.  TO MAKE SURE FOODS AND DRINKS ARE A MAJOR PART OF THE PROGRAM AND ACCESSIBLE DURING THE CONCERT.

10.  TO HAVE SHORT PROGRAMS & A BREAK AFTER 1 HOUR.

11.  TO HAVE SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED ELEMENTS.

12.  TO MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL LIKE BEING CLOSE TO THE MUSICIANS, THEIR PASSION AND EMOTIONS.

AND BY ALSO KEEPING IN MIND

THANKS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

IF YOU NEED MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT, CONTACT

HEDI SCHAEFER

[email protected]

innovation of classical music concerts by hedi schaefer

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