EUROPEANCONCERTHALLORGANISATION(ECHO) imerc EurpeanCncertHal Organisatin(ECHO) Aninitialbenchmarkingstudyf Educatin,LearningandParticipatin Graham Welch JSaunders EvangelsHimnides imerc
Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) An initial benchmarking study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin Graham Welch J Saunders Evangels Himnides
Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) An initial benchmarking study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin c-cmmissined by the Körber Fundatin Graham Welch J Saunders Evangels Himnides Internatinal Music Educatin Research Centre Institute f Educatin, University f Lndn
Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO): An initial benchmarking study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin Funded by the Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin and the Körber Fundatin This prject has been funded with supprt frm the Eurpean Cmmissin. This publicatin reflects the views nly f the authr, and the Cmmissin cannt be held respnsible fr any use which may be made f the infrmatin cntained therein. ISBN10: 1-905351-19-4 ISBN13: 978-1-905351-19-0 2012 Prfessr Graham Welch, Dr J Saunders, Dr Evangels Himnides Published in Great Britain in 2012 Internatinal Music Educatin Research Centre (imerc) Department f Culture, Cmmunicatin and Media Institute f Educatin University f Lndn 20, Bedfrd Way Lndn WC1H 0AL cpy requests: http://cpyrequests.imerc.rg British Library Catalguing-in-Publicatin Data A CIP recrd is available frm the British Library All phts appear with the permissin f the ECHO member Cncert Halls Credits: Sally Baitch, Dan Brady, Mark Savage, Jan-Olav Wedin, Nrth News and Pictures. All rights reserved. Except fr the qutatin f shrt passages fr the purpses f criticism r review, n part f this publicatin may be reprduced, stred in a retrieval system, r transmitted, in any frm r by any means, electrnic, mechanical, phtcpying, recrding r therwise, withut prir permissin frm the publisher.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 5 Cntents Cntents 5 1. Executive Summary 7 2. Intrductin 9 3. Research and evaluatin methds 11 4. Main Findings 13 4.1 General rganisatinal features 13 4.2 ELP Missin 21 4.3 Current ELP fci and strategies 27 4.4 Prfiles f participants in ELP activities 31 4.5 ELP budgets and financing 41 4.6 ELP management and staffing 45 4.7 Accmmdatin fr ELP 49 4.8 ELP Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement 53 4.9 Observed sessins in case cncert halls 55 Aims and Planning 58 Engagement and Prgressin within the sessin 59 The Sessin Leader 59 Cmmunicatin 60 Supprt 60 Resurces 60 Defining ELP 61 4.10 Reprise: bserved sessins in additinal cncert halls 63 Intrducing the Percussin Sectin 63 Making a drum 64 Intrducing the Trumpet 65 A taste f America 66 5. Cda 67 Annex 1 69
6 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO)
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 7 1. Executive Summary The Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) is an active netwrk bringing tgether many f the majr cncert halls in Eurpe in rder t prmte prfessinal exchange, shared reflectin and jint initiatives. Nineteen f the twenty member rganisatins participated in a research study that was designed primarily t prvide a baseline verview f its educatin, learning and participatin (ELP) activities. Data were cllected ver a perid f six mnths via a specially designed n-line questinnaire, fllw-up interviews and a small number f case studies. In summary, the research data suggest that there is a very slid base f ELP prvisin acrss the participant ECHO cncert halls. This prvisin shuld be celebrated fr enriching the lives f many peple acrss Eurpe and fr enabling the halls t cnnect with and nurture cultural develpment in their lcal, natinal and internatinal cmmunities. Nevertheless, ntwithstanding its ELP strengths, such as in terms f the large number f peple attending in the past twelve mnths (ver half a millin) and the diverse prtfli f ELP activities n ffer fr different age and ability grups acrss the lifespan, there is a sense that as a cmmunity f practice the ECHO ELP prviders cntinue t have much t learn frm each ther, a fact recgnised by the ELP wrking grup in initiating this research. There are differences in appraches, in rganisatin, management, budgetary prvisin, size, recruitment base, ntins and measures f quality, and als in the nature f ELP identity. In additin, it is nt clear related t measures f quality what impact ELP is actually having n participants (and als the parent rganisatins) cmpared t the intended impact. This relates, at least in part, t a smewhat embedded, nnexplicitly shared definitin f what cunts as ELP. Making ELP mre explicit in the wrking grup shuld help in its cllective analysis f hw t manage ELP effectively, measure its impact and ensure its successful
8 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) future. The reprt als prvides an pprtunity fr the wrking grup t reflect n the added value that has already accrued and might accrue in the future frm a cllective, shared apprach t ELP prvisin acrss the member rganisatins.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 9 2. Intrductin The Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) is an active netwrk bringing tgether many f the majr cncerts halls in Eurpe in rder t prmte prfessinal exchange, shared reflectin and jint initiatives. Funded in 1991 n the initiative f a small grup f Eurpean cncert hall Directrs, the rganisatin currently has 20 members (see belw), with a full-time secretariat in Brussels and a range f cllective activities. These include the nurturing f rising stars, training seminars and als wrking grups fcusing n specific areas f shared interest. The current (December 2011) ECHO members are: Barbican Centre Lndn BOZAR Brussels Caluste Gulbenkian Fundatin Lisbn Casa da Música Prt Cité de la musique Paris Het Cncertgebuw Amsterdam Festspielhaus Baden-Baden Kölner Philharmnie Laeiszhalle Elbphilharmnie Hamburg L Auditri Barcelna Megarn The Athens Cncert Hall Musikverein Wien Palace f Arts Budapest Palau de la Música Catalana Philharmnie Luxemburg Stckhlms Knserthus Théâtre des Champs-Elysées Paris The Sage Gateshead Twn Hall & Symphny Hall Birmingham Wiener Knzerthaus Amngst the ECHO wrking grups is ne fcused n educatin, learning and participatin (ELP). The ELP gruping was established in 2007 with a prime fcus n building wider and richer relatinships between the wrk f the halls and new and existing audiences 1. As part f 1 retrieved frm http://www.cncerthallrganisatin.eu/abut 20th December 2011
10 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) the ELP wrking grup s develpment, they cmmissined a team frm the Internatinal Music Educatin Research Centre (imerc) at the Institute f Educatin, University f Lndn, led by the first authr, t undertake a benchmarking study t prvide a cmparative audit f the current state-f-play f their ELP prtflis. The research was undertaken during the Autumn and Winter f 2011, with a fcus n: (a) identifying hw the member halls embdy and demnstrate their ELP values in the related gals and activities f their educatin departments; (b) cllating additinal demgraphic data n respndents rganisatinal features (including management and financial aspects); and (c) reprting any similarities and differences in their appraches t ELP, in rder t prvide the basis fr a mre explicit and shared understanding, as well as ffering a reprt which ffers the ptential fr new shared ELP-fcused endeavurs.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 11 3. Research and evaluatin methds The ECHO ELP wrking grup appinted a small Steering Grup frm amngst its members t cllabrate with the Institute f Educatin research team in the verall design f the investigatin and t prvide input and feedback at varius pints during the research prcess. The agreed areas fr the ECHO ELP baseline research embraced: (i) the cllectin and analyses f demgraphic infrmatin frm the participant cncert halls; and (ii) a small number f selected in-depth case studies f individual cncert halls t illustrate the demgraphic data by prviding exemplars f hw ELP was being undertaken by its member rganisatins. The chice f case studies was determined jintly by the Steering Grup and the research team in rder t ensure a cntrasting selectin, bth in terms f the size f the case studies ELP peratins and als in the likely diversity f their activities. The demgraphic fci embraced: The rganisatinal and histrical cntexts fr the prvisin f educatin, learning and participatin (ELP) in the member rganisatin; The perceived ELP missin and its enactment; The nature f the ELP prvisin and its relative status within the parent rganisatin; The ELP management prcess, including aspects f staffing, financing, strategy, develpment and quality assurance; The range f ELP activities ffered and the numbers and types f participants, as well as links with the lcal cmmunity. These umbrella aspects f participants ELP prvisin were accessed via a specially designed n-line survey instrument that was cmpleted by an ECHO representative with specific ELP versight within their rganisatin. The main themes fr the survey and the actual wrding were pi-
12 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) lted prir t their final disseminatin acrss the participant cncert halls. In additin, each rganisatin had prvided a named cntact wh was interviewed subsequently (usually by phne, but in sme cases in persn) in rder t cnfirm and (if necessary) clarify and expand their n-line answers. The survey data was cllated fr presentatin by the research team as an interim reprt t ECHO representatives at ne f their regular ELP wrking grup meetings, which tk place in Brussels (Octber, 2011). The grup s discussin f the interim reprt with the research team generated a small number f supplementary questins. These were added t the n-line survey instrument and were cmpleted by participants whilst they cntinued t have access t all their riginal answers, i.e., in case they felt that any emendatins r additins were necessary in the light f the discussins and new questins. In the final weeks f the research prcess, case study visits were undertaken t Gateshead, Luxemburg, Paris and Stckhlm. These site visits prvided pprtunities t gain specific insights int examples f lcal ELP rganisatin and prvisin, including (in three f the fur cases 2 ) invited ccasins t bserve ELP activities with different client grups (such as children and lder citizens). A specially designed bservatin schedule was emplyed t prvide an independent assessment f the quality f prvisin 3 (see Annex 1). This schedule was created in part in recgnitin (see Sectin 4.8) that ECHO currently has n cmmn apprach acrss its membership fr the assessment f the quality f ELP prvisin. It is ffered as ne pssible tl by which quality might be bserved, drawing n established appraches in the learning and teaching literature. 2 In the furth case, n ELP activities were available fr bservatin at the time f the site visit. 3 Descriptrs f quality were synthesised int a simple bservatinal framewrk frm five surces: (i) Echevarria, J., Vgt, M. E. and Shrt, D. J. (2000). Making cntent cmprehensible fr English language learners: The SIOP mdel. Bstn, MA: Allyn & Bacn; (ii) Rss, S. M., Smith, L. J. and Alberg, M. J. (1998). The Schl Observatin Measure (SOM). University f Memphis: Center fr Research in Educatinal Plicy; (iii) OfSTED (2009) Making Mre f Music: Imprving the quality f music teaching in primary schls. Lndn: Office fr Standards in Educatin; (iv) the Sage Gateshead s (2010) Practice Quality Framewrk fr Internal Review and Develpment. Gateshead: The Sage Gateshead; and (v) Saunders, J., Papagergi, I., Himnides, E., Rinta, T., & Welch, G.F. (2011). Researching the Impact f the Natinal Singing Prgramme Sing Up in England: Diverse appraches t successful singing in Primary settings. Lndn: imerc.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 13 4. Main Findings In this final reprt, the research data have been cllated t prvide a cmparative verview f the educatin, learning and participatin (ELP) activities acrss the ECHO participant rganisatins. The case study data have been used primarily t illustrate the main survey findings 4. Of the current ECHO membership, n=19 rganisatins (either in full, r in part) prvided survey data n their ELP strategy, management and prvisin. Fur f these prvided case study data. 4.1 General rganisatinal features In terms f the rganisatins ELP histry, all but tw f the seventeen respndents wh cmpleted this questin had been prviding ELP activities fr at least six years, with majrity (52.9%) mre than eleven years, including a small minrity (17.6%) having ffered ELP frm mre than 20 years (see Figure 1). It is clear that ELP is a relatively lng-standing cmpnent f the rganisatins verall prtflis. 4 Further illustratins frm the case cncert halls are presented in clured qutatin marks thrughut Sectin 4. All f the examples frm the same cncert hall appear in the same clur enabling the reader t cmpare respnses frm bth within (fr example, all f the blue extracts) and acrss (fr example, cmparing blue with green) case cncert halls.
14 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) Figure 1: My cncert hall has been prviding ELP activities fr The initial impetus and ratinale fr beginning their ELP prvisin acrss the ECHO rganisatins was threefld, namely: T ffer educatinal activities in an expanded prtfli fr the Cncert Hall; T reach ut t wider audiences and client grups (such as children, yung peple, adults and families); and T engage and inspire cmmunities in and thrugh music (see example 1). 1. The initial impetus fr beginning the ELP activities in my rganisatin... Learning and participatin are at the heart f [ur] missin. Engaging and inspiring cmmunities, creating pprtunities fr musical prgressin and achievement and making ur rganisatin and ur building truly relevant and central t ur cmmunity are the cre intentins that shaped the riginal budget, plans, staffing mdels, develpment apprach and prgramming philsphy. The detailed answers demnstrate that the basis fr the ELP missin
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 15 was nt just pragmatic (in the sense f being linked t the cmmercial develpment f the rganisatin), but primarily scial and mral in terms f a deep cmmitment, bth t music and als t enriching the lives f thers in the surrunding cmmunities by enabling them t experience live music in varius guises. One underlying challenge is fr the ELP teams t maintain an ptimal dual fcus that embraces bth the music (e.g., its design, selectin and packaging fr the intended participants) whilst als addressing the perceived ELP needs f the participants themselves, given that there are an enrmus variety f musical activities being ffered acrss the different participant grups. 2. The nature f ELP activities have changed......maybe nt changed as such, but grwn and develped we are running a much larger and mre plural prgramme [than] perhaps we expected... Perhaps unsurprisingly, ver time, the nature f the ELP activities at the cncert halls is reprted t have changed significantly fr nearly tw thirds (65%) f the participant rganisatins. Key aspects f change are exampled by (i) the additin f new client grups; (ii) a bradening f the diversity f music being ffered (see example 2); and/r (iii) in sme cases, deepening the repertire within their preferred musical genres (see example 3); (iv) adpting new r alternate pedaggic strategies t engage clients (see example 4); and (v) develpments in the effective management f ELP activities within the cncert hall. Grwth and develpment are characterised by significant increases in the number and diversity f activities being ffered, including fr the small minrity wh reprt little verall ELP prtfli change since its inceptin, but mre f the same.
16 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 3. Deepening the repertire within their preferred musical genre... The cncert hall established an annual prgramme f cncerts in which the symphny rchestra perfrmed the music frm cmputer games with an established fan base, such as Super Mari Brs and The Legend f Zelda. Fllwing the success f these cncerts, where multimedia screenings f game ftage accmpanied the perfrmance, the cncert hall experimented with a mre frmal apprach, with cntemprary cmpsers frm the gaming industry whse wrk, whilst less well knwn, was f high musical quality. Over a thusand peple attended the frmal cncert. Frm an initial idea t engage the gaming cmmunity with the cncert hall thrugh an infrmal cncert f well-knwn material, the ELP department played a key rle in prviding pprtunities fr the audience t cntinue and deepen their knwledge and engagement with the genre.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 17 4. Adpting new r alternate pedaggic strategies t engage clients... The cncert hall designed a participatry prject giving yung string players the pprtunity t attend weekly wrkshps in their cmmunities, wrking with prfessinal musicians. At the end f the prject, the yung peple wuld perfrm simplified versins f the scre, seated within the rchestra. The prgramme was deemed t be highly successful, with high levels f engagement and lw drput rates amngst the yung peple. The mdel is nw reprduced beynd the cncert hall, whilst the ELP department fcus n creating further innvatry prjects that aim t push the framewrk [f ELP activity] bth in the city and beynd. All rganisatins respnding include single/ne-ff events as part f the ELP prtflis. The examples prvided fall int tw distinct grups f activities: (i) Thse designed fr specific client grups, such as differently abled pupils, senirs, babies, family cncerts, e.g., with children/fr children, with a cmpser in residence (see example 5); 5. Specific client grups... The hall prgrammes a series f discrete cncerts designed fr infants aged between nught and three years ld. As a shrtened cncert presenting a wide variety f musics, the hall prvides a cntext fr the infant t begin t engage with music, as well as with ther infants and with the wider wrld. (ii) Intersecting with the abve are activities that are event fcused (see examples 6 and 7) and which have a distinctive type f client engagement and behaviur, such as wrkshps, cncerts, lectures, master classes, pen weekends and pen rehearsals, as well as smetimes linked t ther lcatins (e.g. schls and libraries) away frm the
18 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) cncert hall. 6. Event fcused activities... The cncert hall presents interactive lectures fr family grups, in which an animateur dresses in a histrically accurate cstume, and thrugh film, music and acting recreates the histrical and scial cntext f a musical wrk r genre. These interactive lectures are then presented in theatres acrss the cuntry. 7. Event fcused activities... The cncert hall adpted a presentatin style mre frequently seen in rck/pp music cncerts, with the rchestra musicians being filmed and their images prjected nt large screens behind the rchestra. In additin, prps and cstumes decrated the fyer and the audience were invited t attend in character. One such cncert based n the Lrd f the Rings invlved a huge replica Gllum and psters f the main characters. In additin, all participant cncert halls prvide diverse ELP activities as a series f linked events ver time. These include: (i) Series f wrkshps (such as with pen access t ne r all wrkshps); (ii) Series f wrkshps leading t a cncert (see example 8); (iii) Cncert series; (iv) Schl-based events; (v) Netwrks f linked events in different lcalities, bth in and utside the cncert hall; (vi) Lecture series; (vii) Summer schls; (viii) Auditins leading t a cncert; and
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 19 (ix) Pre-cncert events (e.g., held in schl, r in the cncert hall, r ther lcatin) t induct a target audience int the musical fcus f the cncert, such as in cases where there is audience participatin, r t intrduce the artists t the audience. The respnses suggest that there is a willingness n the part f ELP teams t be pr-active in seeking an extended engagement with their cmmunities, such as thrugh the prvisin f a rich prtfli f musical activities. Sme f these are well-established and build n knwn successful frmulae, whilst thers are mre innvative and designed t reach ut t a new client grup. 8. A Series f wrkshps leading t a cncert... The cncert hall prvided a series f wrkshps fr instrumentalists wh wanted mre experience f flk music. The silver flk band [referring t lder aged participants] prvided an pprtunity fr the musicians t wrk and perfrm in a cllabrative manner with the practitiner, frming and refining their perfrmances, bth thrugh playing and discussin. Participants were encuraged t wn the sessin and space was made fr cmments that were then fed back int the perfrmances. These wrkshps prvided nt nly the pprtunity fr the musicians t imprve their musical skills and widen their repertire, but als t wrk cperatively and cllabratively twards a shared gal. There was a sense f a scial as well as a musical jurney fr the participants and practitiner invlved.
20 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO)
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 21 4.2 ELP Missin The respnses indicate that there are eight cmmn features with regards t the cncert halls missin cncerning their educatin, learning and participatin (ELP) activities. These features cluster int tw areas related t (i) audiences and (ii) repertire. (i) The ELP missin cncerning audiences is centred n a. Prviding access t quality music acrss the lifespan (e.g., t make classical music accessible t children f all ages )(see example 9); b. Enriching peple s lives thrugh music (e.g. t entertain, invlve, inspire each and every persn we meet thrugh engagement with utstanding music and creative events ) (see example 10); c. Bringing peple t the cncert hall and taking live music ut int the cmmunity (e.g., a city needs the arts t flurish and the cncert hall can be part f this ) (see example 11); d. Reaching new audiences (e.g., t reach peple wh have n cntact t the cncert hall ); e. An underlying mral cmmitment t using the resurces f the cncert hall twards the realisatin f humanity s musical ptential, i.e., prviding musical activities based n a belief that everyne can engage with music in sme way and that music is a fundamental element f the human cnditin (e.g., we cnsider music an enrichment, belnging t the highest achievements f the human mind ) (see example 12). 9. Prviding access t quality music acrss the lifespan... We wrk acrss all ages and levels f ambitin, frm wrk with pregnant wmen thrugh children s centres and nurseries, in schls, yuth and cmmunity centres, with teenagers, adults and elders, via auditined and nn-auditined prgrammes including specialist music training fr talented and cmmitted yung peple, undergraduate prgrammes [and] prfessinal training fr teachers and leaders
22 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 10. Enriching peple s lives thrugh music... The CEO f the cncert hall described hw his apprach was nt t act as the gatekeeper f music. He explained hw yu dn t need t knw anything abut music t enjy an evening here. The cncert hall was nt a huse f music, but rather a huse f meeting each ther and perceptin. The cncert hall was there t fster the individual s perceptin and pleasure in music based n a cmpletely natural apprach t attending cultural events: a part f life fr all. 11. Bringing peple t the cncert hall and taking live music ut int the cmmunity... The Head f ELP explained hw the areas that we wrk in are chsen as areas f cultural r ecnmic deprivatin. Particular neighburhds with scial, cultural r ecnmic prblems are knwn and classified as such. We wrk with cmmunity centres lcated in these deprived areas. 12. Wrking twards the realisatin f humanity s ptential... [Our] missin: t entertain, invlve and inspire each and every persn we meet thrugh engagement with utstanding music and creative events. (ii) The ELP missin cncerning repertire embraces engagement with the cmmunity thrugh the prvisin f a. Cncerts (e.g., t ffer cncerts and participative prjects fr children, families, schl classes, teenagers and interested adults ) (see example 13); b. Music prjects and ther interactive events (e.g. we aim t prvide ps-
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 23 sibilities fr yungsters t experience music interactively ) (see example 14); c. New repertire t established (and new) audiences (e.g., t interest the audience in different repertire than they are used t ). 13. Engaging with the cmmunity thrugh the prvisin f cncerts... The cncert hall prvides a series f cncerts fr children aged seven, eight and nine years. Each cncert is structured arund a stry r theme, thrugh which the music is interwven. The ELP staff wrk clsely with the schls prir t the cncert t ensure that the children are familiar with the music. One f the aims f this cncert series is t enable the yung peple t experience a symphny rchestra...t give them the pprtunity t experience what that feels like. Within the gegraphical area f the cncert hall, this was deemed t be a unique pprtunity fr the children invlved. 14. Engaging with the cmmunity thrugh the prvisin f music prjects and ther interactive events... The cncert hall prvides ne day wrkuts, pening up a variety f music practices t the general public... [xxx] in a day events fr yung peple...talks, master classes, wrkshps with visiting artists, big singing days... amateur rchestral days... summer schls... weekend festivals... internatinal festivals... The breadth f prvisin enabled participants t experience a wide range f different activities, genres and perfrmance and learning styles, but als pursue ne particular strand f activity in rder t deepen their understanding and musical skills. These ELP missin features link t, and build upn, the reprted underlying reasns fr why ELP activities were initiated riginally (see abve), i.e., T ffer educatinal activities in an expanded prtfli fr the Cncert Hall;
24 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) T reach ut t wider audiences and client grups (such as children, yung peple, adults and families); and T engage and inspire cmmunities in and thrugh music. As such, whilst allwing fr the pssibility f subcnscius influences in prjecting the current missin back in time fr a retrspective analysis int the rigins f ELP activities, there is a cnsistency acrss the written cmments t suggest that ECHO respndents feel a cmmitment t ELP that is lng-term, ntwithstanding any challenges (including thse reprted belw). Nevertheless, it is clear frm the respnses that there are incnsistencies in hw the ELP missin is made explicit t thers. As can be seen frm the data cllated int Figure 2, it is less likely that external bdies and the wider public will have cme int cntact with the details f the ELP missin. Similarly, nt all cncert halls make their ELP missin explicit in their public media, such as via their website and in their publicity materials. Given the strength f psitive cmmitment t their ELP missin, bth individually and cllectively amngst respndents, this is an area fr develpment. Figure 2: We have previusly published this ELP missin t (tick all that apply) Anther aspect f the ELP missin and related activities is whether r nt these are perceived t be valued within the parent rganisatin. There is an evident incnsistency between (a) perceptins f the extent t which the ELP missin is valued in thery by the cncert hall cmpared t (b) hw the cmpnent activities deriving frm the missin are actually valued in practice. As can be seen frm the distributin patterns within the varius elements f Figure 3 belw, a small number f respndents feel that their ELP activities are nt whleheartedly valued within the rganisatin. Only three respndents gave the highest rankings ( strngly agree ) t bth questins.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 25 Figure 3: Cmparisn f hw the ELP missin is valued in thery cmpared t in practice (based n a seven-pint scale in which 7 = strngly agree). The upper figure prvides cmparative average ratings, whereas the lwer smaller figures prvide the actual distributin f respnses. Nevertheless, respndents were mre psitive generally abut the influence f their ELP prtfli f activities in shaping the verall branding f the parent rganisatin, with 4:5 (79%) agreeing that this was the case (see Figure 4). Of cncern, perhaps, are the respnses frm a small minrity which, if set alngside the missin value respnses (Figure 3), either suggest that they perceive their wrk as smewhat peripheral t the ways that the cncert hall prtrays itself, r that the parent rganisatin culd d mre t demnstrate vertly that it values ELP activities as a cre cmpnent f its business. Nevertheless, given that all the cncert halls have included ELP prvisin fr at least three t five years (Figure 1), it is smewhat surprising that nt everyne has ensured that ELP is part f its verall branding develpment. Figure 4: Our ELP activities have been used t shape the verall branding f ur rganisatin
26 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO)
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 27 4.3 Current ELP fci and strategies There are six main themes that emerge frm an analysis f participants respnses t questins cncerning their current fci fr ELP activities. These embrace: (i) (ii) Imprving quality (e.g., in relatin t management, prcesses, the client experience, cmmunicatins bth internal and external); Identifying and attracting new target grups fr the rganisatin, such as in relatively unrepresented r new gegraphical areas (see example 15); 15. New target grups... The cncert hall rganised meet and greet sessins with the cmpsers f gaming music, which resulted in mre than 200 yung peple attending an event. At the cncert later, 95% f the audience were bys and yung men. (iii) (iv) Explring crss arts prvisin; Addressing particular identified needs within their lcal cmmunities because f an awareness that they had the ptential t bring smething f benefit where, perhaps utside their usual audiences, there were scial, ecnmic and generatinal needs. There was als an awareness f the ptential benefits f using new media t reach ut t new audiences (see example 16);
28 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 16. Ptential benefits f new media... The cncert hall cntinues t stimulate the use f web technlgies in music educatin thrugh the use f multimedia resurces acrss its ELP prvisin. (v) (vi) Extended netwrking (e.g., with ther rganisatins, reginal bdies, perceived stakehlders); A particular cmmitment t the yunger generatin, such as enriching children s (and their teachers ) experiences utside as well as within the frmal schl system (see example 17). 17. A cmmitment t the yunger generatin... The cncert hall has designed a series f cncerts and activities specifically fr very yung children. The first, frm zer t three years f age is a series f discrete cncerts. The secnd, frm three t five years f age, is a series f cncerts with an animateur, prviding cntinuity f apprach and experiences. As a subscriptin series, there is an expectatin that the children will experience a number f perfrmances thrughut the year. The third, frm ages five t nine years, is a series f cncerts in which the yung persn is encuraged t enjy an aesthetic experience thrugh fstering individual delight. These activities may be based n a mdel in which the musicians tell a fairy-tale thrugh music.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 29 In terms f their medium term strategies ver the next tw years, the main themes t emerge are very similar t the abve, with the additin f the realisatin that effective high quality ELP activities wuld need ECHO s cnstituent rganisatins t (vii) build capacity, such as by ensuring that their wrkfrce were prvided with apprpriate prfessinal develpment t enable them t respnd apprpriately in new settings and with new client grups (see example 18); and (viii) secure apprpriate funding t enable the strategies t be realised. 18. Building n success, building capacity and building netwrks... [We seek t] Develp ur Innvatin Hub apprach s that ur prjects, resurces [and] prgrammes are available mre widely as purchasable cmmdities in rder t generate mre earned incme. Build n ur natinal and internatinal reputatin and cntacts s as t develp new partnerships fr develpment and delivery. Strengthen and extend prgressin rutes and pathways bth thrugh ur wn prgramme and thse ur reginal, natinal and internatinal partners are develping r delivering... The lnger-term strategies are fewer in number. These are generally mre business-like in apprach and aimed at bth cnslidatin and extensin, presumably n the assumptin that the cre cmpnents f ELP prvisin are in place, r will be in the shrt- t medium-term. Key fci are: (i) (ii) where necessary, frmalising the status f ELP within the rganisatin ( t becme an educatin department that summarises the different aspects f educatin wrk in the cncert hall ); again, where necessary, frmalising the status f ELP in the lcality, regin and internatinally ( t bring the internatinal and lcal wrk f ur prgramme tgether ) (see example 19); 19. T develp at a natinal level a specific mdel f classical and rchestral music educatin.
30 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) (iii) (iv) increasing the numbers f participants, bth verall and als in terms f the diversity f lifespan grupings ( t pen up new target grups (senirs, yung parents, etc) ); and cntinuing t ensure the lng term financial underpinning fr ELP activities ( imprve fundraising and btain spnsrs ) (see example 20). 20. T re-balance the ecnmic mdel s [that] we are less vulnerable t public sectr change...
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 31 4.4 Prfiles f participants in ELP activities The survey enquired abut the age gruping f participants in the varius ELP activities undertaken acrss the ECHO cncert halls. As can be seen frm Figure 5, the prime fcus is n yunger age grups, particularly frm the ages f 6 t 20 years, with all (r virtually all) ECHO respndents reprting that they made such ELP prvisin. Currently, there are fewer cncert halls cvering the whle lifespan, with adults and mixed age grups being reprted by nearly tw thirds f respndents. Figure 5: Apprximate age grupings f participants (given as % f ttal number f ECHO respndents) Figure 6: Numbers f participants in each age grup in the past year; individual ECHO respndents are indicated by an identical clur acrss age grups. Further analyses int the actual numbers f participants within these
32 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) age grups ver the previus twelve mnths, hwever, reveals much larger discrepancies (Figure 6). Peple aged 21-30 and 41-60 are relatively underserved at present in terms f ECHO s ELP prvisin. The greatest numbers f participants are children, with a significant lessening f participatin frm adlescents (aged 11-15 years). Within the nn-child ppulatins, adults aged 31-40 and mixed age grups are relatively prminent, suggesting that ELP activities invlving parental/family grups are cnsidered t be imprtant, at least fr the apprximately 50% f cncert halls reprted t be ffering this prvisin (i.e., cmparing the data acrss Figures 5 and 6). Overall, the ttal number f ELP participants acrss the ECHO respndents 5 was ver half a millin (n=586,058) in the past year. Within this ttal, sme cncert halls cater fr very large numbers f participants, whilst thers have significantly fewer (see Figure 7). Figure 7: Ttal numbers f participants reprted in the previus twelve mnths acrss all age grups frm the n=15 survey respndents wh prvided this data Anther aspect f the prvisin by age grups is the ttal numbers f ELP sessins (n=16,083) that have been prvided acrss lifespan grups by ECHO respndents in the past twelve mnths. Figure 8 demnstrates a similar bias t that reprted earlier, namely twards sessins fr children and yung peple, but als twards adults aged between 51-60 years (see reprted examples 21, 22, 23 and 24). 5 These analyses are based n data frm the fifteen f the nineteen ECHO cncert halls that were able t prvide detailed infrmatin f the numbers f participants in each age grup.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 33 Figure 8: Numbers f ELP activities prvided fr each age grup in the past year; individual ECHO respndents are indicated by an identical clur acrss age grups. 21. Events fr yung peple... Events based in the fyer f the cncert hall, either as exhibitins, wrkshps r meet and greet events that allw yung peple with shared interests t meet and scialise in a safe envirnment.
34 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 22. Events fr the silver age grup... Chirs and instrumental ensembles especially designed fr the lder members f the cmmunity, fstering musical skills and a sense f cmmunity. 23. Events fr children... Orchestral r small grup perfrmances, ften with theatrical elements and/r an animateur with children seated n enrmus cushins n the flr... 24. Events fr schls... Wrkshps in schls that allw all pupils, irrespective f their backgrund, t participate in playing an instrument and attending a cncert in the cncert hall r anther prestigius venue within the city.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 35 Figure 9: Ttal numbers f ELP activities in the previus twelve mnths acrss all age grups (reprted fr each f the fifteen rganisatins that answered this questin) Furthermre, there is a wide variatin in the numbers f ELP sessins prvided, which is related in part (at least) t the verall size f the ELP peratin within the hst cncert hall. Acrss the twelve mnth perid, the numbers f sessins in individual rganisatins ranged between n=30 and n=10,050 (Figure 9). The average number f participants in each age grup ver the past year was als varied, ranging frm less than ten t mre than 100 (Figure 10) (see examples 25 and 26). Hwever, there was an verall bias twards larger grups, particular with adults and mixed ages. 25. Small venues and intimate atmspheres... The ELP department rganises sessins in a lcal café. An animateur facilitates the sessin by guiding the participants as they listen t music, drink their cffee, and share their respnses and thughts. The animateur is nt there t teach, but rather t help the participants find an apprpriate vcabulary t aid their discussins and t guide their listening and enjyment f the music in a relaxed, scial setting.
36 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 26. Large venues and capacity audiences... Fr ver twenty years, the cncert hall has rganised cncerts fr schls, with ten t twelveyear-lds attending a cncert during the Autumn term, eight-year-lds attending during the Spring term and the yungest, at six-years-ld, attending during the Summer term. Over the perid f their Primary schling, each child will have the pprtunity t attend the cncert hall at least three times. During cncert weeks, there are three identical perfrmances, ne at 9.30, ne at 11 and ne at 12.30. At each cncert there are apprximately 1,000 pupils in attendance. In additin t the cncerts, the pupils will have learnt sngs and discussed specific themes related t the cncert prgramme. It requires a frm f military precisin, but the utcme enables pupils t perfrm in large numbers alngside a symphny rchestra and chir. Figure 10: The average numbers f participants per age grup, with the stacked clurs
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 37 representing the relative prprtins f smaller, mid-sized and larger (mre than n=100) grups Survey respndents als prvided details f the types f typical activities being accessed by each age grup. Cncerts (28%) and wrkshps (23%) predminated acrss age grups (Figure 11), but instrumental, vcal and multi-arts activities were als represented, as well as ther (such as pen rehearsals, film screenings, guided turs, talks and debates, writing labs and internet accessed prjects see examples 27, 28 and 29). Figure 11: Relative prprtins (%) f typical ELP activities 27. An example f ther...film screenings A backstage event designed t highlight accessible musical mdels fr the 13 t 17-year-lds, the cncert hall screened a film abut an Australian ensemble wh wrked n a surfing and music prject with yung peple. The event gave the yung audience an pprtunity t see the musicians as whle peple, beynd the narrw cnfines f a perfrming career and, cnsequently, as mre accessible musical rle mdels.
38 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) 28. An example f ther...lectures The ELP department has established a series f lectures that take place thrughut the year n a range f tpics that wuld nt lk ut f place in an undergraduate prspectus. These highly demanding lectures are based n very specific subjects, ften, but nt always, related t cncerts within the main cncert hall prgramming. Cnfrming t the traditinal teaching style f a lecture, these events are als supplemented by recrdings and digital material. 29. An example f ther...just what the dctr rdered During a festival, the cncert hall devised a series f events in which an audience member wuld fllw an individualised prgramme. The audience member wuld initially sit in a waiting rm, befre discussing their musical preferences with a dctr. The audience member wuld then receive a prescriptin that recmmends (fr example) that they see a clarinettist and a cmpser. In ther rms arund the cncert hall, the audience member wuld take part in a series f dialgues with musicians and cmpsers.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 39 Figure 12: The diversity f activities by participant age grup Children, adlescents and yung adults (ages 6-20 years) tk advantage f ELP prvisin acrss the largest number f pssible typical categries (Figure 12). Other age grups were relatively similar, but less in terms f the diversity f brad categries f activities being prvided fr them. When asked t frecast the numbers f ELP participants frm September 2011 t August 2012, nly 1:5 (21%) predict slightly reduced numbers. The majrity f survey respndents expect slightly larger (47%), r significantly larger numbers (16%). The underlying reasns fr the frecasts f expected numbers f participants appears principally t be driven by changes t internal plicy within the hst rganisatin (reprted by 59% f respndents), as well as by changes in external plicy (35%). With regards t funding, just ver nethird (35%) expect less funding t be available fr ELP, but an identical number expect t have mre funding available. The cmments suggest that ELP activities within the ECHO rganisatins reflect a wider ecnmic reality which is recgnised t be challenging fr all sectrs f the ecnmy, including the arts, but that this cntext is als seen as an pprtunity by sme rganisatins t fcus mre n netwrking, increased spnsrship and t seek ways f increasing participatin.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 41 4.5 ELP budgets and financing There is a wide diversity reprted by survey respndents in the size f available budgets fr ELP activities amngst members and als in the prprtin as a percentage f the ttal cncert hall budget that is allcated t ELP. This ranges frm 1% f the ttal budget t 65%, being 14% n average (see Figure 13). Tw-thirds f respndents suggest that this is sufficient fr their needs, based n their current prgramme f activities, but ne-third feel that their budget is inadequate, particularly where investment is needed t prvide sufficient time fr innvatin and the creatin f new activities/prgrammes. Fr this significant minrity grup, there is a mismatch between missin, strategies and the available budget. Mre mney is needed t enrich the quality f existing prvisin ( invest in a team f freelance artists, guides, animatrs, music pedaggues, t braden and enrich the prgramme ). The budget prvides n surplus, nr margin t invest in future prvisin ( we are ften cnfrnted with prject calculatins based n csts fr each participating persn that is difficult because ur wrk is an investment and a nn-prfit venture. ) Figure 13: Prprtin as a percentage f the ttal cncert hall budget spent n ELP activities(n=17 respnses) A majrity (56%) reprt that they expect their ELP budget t change ver the next financial year. When asked t ffer an explanatin f (a) the detail f budgetary changes and (b) the underlying reasns, respndents indicate that: Any psitive changes are being driven by diverse surces, such as new
42 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) spnsrship, increased allcatin frm fficial surces (state, regin, lcality), new private patrns; and als frm better netwrking externally and integrated appraches internally, supprted by increased audience demand fr activities perceived as successful; In cntrast, negative budgetary changes, i.e., less funding being available frm the usual surces, means that there wuld likely be cutbacks in current activities. Such reductins are blamed n the ecnmic crisis and cuts in subsidies, such as frm fficial external bdies (e.g., city gvernment ). 14# 13# 12# 11# 10# 9# 8# internal#budget#f#the# rganisa<n# state#funding# 7# municipal#(lcal#gvernment)# 6# private# 5# 4# 3# 2# 1# 0%# 20%# 40%# 60%# 80%# 100%# Figure 14: Cntributed percentages frm budgetary surces fr ELP Where respndents give details f the surces fr the financing f their ELP prgrammes (Figure 14), these are in fur main categries: (i) internal cncert hall budgetary allcatins, (ii) state funding, (iii) municipal
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 43 (lcal gvernment) funding and (iv) private spnsrs/patrns. Again, there is cnsiderable diversity evidenced acrss the ECHO grup in the makeup f these ELP surces fr each rganisatin. The variatin in internal funding, fr example, ranges frm 0% t 100%, cmpared t 0% t 63% frm state funding and 0% t 95% frm private surces. It is pssible t interpret these diverse percentages in terms f the cncert hall s lcal sci-plitical culture cncerning the imprtance f the arts, its ELP histry and relatinships with ptential/actual funders acrss its cmmunity sectrs. Hwever, it wuld seem likely that any future expansin f ELP acrss the sectr wuld require mre funding and, cnsequently, even greater effrts by cncert halls in ensuring public engagement with their distinctive missin. As such, the existence f the ECHO ELP wrking grup prvides an excellent pprtunity t share expertise in the ecnmic supprt and management f their cmmn enterprise.
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 45 4.6 ELP management and staffing As might be expected frm the diversity in the numbers f ELP activities prvided ver the past twelve mnths (as reprted abve), this is reflected als in the numbers f peple emplyed t supprt, manage and prvide ELP within the hst rganisatins. The survey respndents reprt that: Overall, there are n=147 cre members f staff invlved in ELP activities acrss the ECHO grup. In additin, there are n=705 nn-cre ELP staff (e.g., n shrt-term/temprary cntracts); The size f the ELP cre team varies frm n=2 t n=40, with an average cre staffing f apprximately n=8. The nn-cre team varies in size frm n=0 t n=350. Hwever, nly tw cncert halls emply mre than n=100 ELP nn-cre staff. The remainder emply n average n=14 clleagues (range 0 t 90); Reprted figures suggest that these numbers equate t apprximately 7% f the ttal cre staffing in the cncert halls; Between them, the cre ELP staff prvide 342 days f wrk each week, equating t 2.3 days per persn. Given that sme cre staff are likely t be emplyed full-time, it wuld seem that the majrity are part-time, at least in terms f the wrklad allcated t ELP activities within the hst rganisatins. A review f the jb titles f the cre members f ELP staff indicates that there are n cmmn labels, althugh three cmpnents are evident: leadership, management and administratin. Examples f jb titles include directr f learning and participatin, executive prducer, artistic directr, prductin directr, directr f creative learning, prgramme leader, head f educatin and cmmunity, head f educatin and library and event manager. Similarly, the fficial hme fr ELP management and c-rdinatin als has varius titles, such as there is n fficial label, learning and participatin, educatin and cmmunity, educatin and library, yuth and family prgramme department, creative learning and educatin department. The cncert halls with larger ELP teams tend t have a greater differentiatin in titles and management, including middle management teams. The majrity f ELP teams meet n a daily basis r at least weekly (Figure 15).
46 Eurpean Cncert Hall Organisatin (ECHO) Figure 15: Pattern f meetings fr the ELP team With regards t the cre skills that staff are perceived t need in rder t fster success in ELP activities, a hierarchy emerges frm the survey respnses. The mst cmmn skills relate t: Musical cmpetences (musical backgrund/musical skills/musical knwledge) (11 mentins); Prject management (9 mentins); Cmmunicatin and listening (8 mentins); Pedaggical cmpetence (7 mentins); and Creativity (7 mentins). Als mentined were: The wish and ability t share enthusiasm with thers (5 mentins); Ability t wrk as part f a team (3 mentins); A passin fr Classical music (3 mentins); The ability t be flexible (2 mentins); Knwledge f the needs f different target grups (2 mentins); Prir experience f music educatin (1 mentin); Energy (1 mentin); Administrative skills (1 mentin); Independence (1 mentin); Strategic visin (1 mentin); IT skills (1 mentin); Initiative (1 mentin); Ability t make cnnectin t ther aspects f prvisin (1 mentin). Academic qualificatins (1 mentin); Knwledge f Media (1 mentin); and Discipline (1 mentin).
An Initial Benchmarking Study f Educatin, Learning and Participatin 47 Respndents were asked t rate a cllatin f their previus respnses cncerning cre skills n a seven-pint scale in rder f their imprtance (ranging frm nt at all imprtant t extremely imprtant ) (see Figure 16). All were rated as imprtant, but within these, cmmunicatin, an ability t listen, creativity and ther scred the highest. Other aspects included able t wrk with a team, artistic skills, knwledge f target grups, energy and tlerance. There is clear divisin f pinin as t hw easy it is t recruit peple wh demnstrate such skill sets, i.e., 53% reprt recruitment t be easy, whereas 47% state that this is difficult. In general, staff have been recruited (a) externally (external advertising, prfessinal netwrks, persnal cntacts, internships) and/r (b) internally (via internal advertising, internal rerganisatin, screening t match rganisatinal needs against a persnal prfile, r internal staff develpment prgramme internal prmtin). Figure 16: Ratings f selected cre ELP staff skills by relative imprtance (using a sevenpint scale ranging frm nt at all imprtant t extremely imprtant ) Of thse cmpleting the survey, just under three-quarters (72%) reprt that they are the head f ELP activities within their rganisatin. Althugh relatively few appear t have a frmal jb title, the rle includes versight and management f all ELP activities. The majrity (83%) delegate management t different members f their team fr sme f the rganisatin s ELP activities. Their line managers have a wide variety f titles, reflecting bth the nature f their internal cncert hall rganisatin and als the relative status f ELP within it. Fr example, individual respndents reprt t the general directr, artistic and educatin directr, general manager, deputy general manager, directr, the intendant, perfrming arts manager, artistic manager, directr f prgramming, r head f my institutin. In general (althugh