What it Takes to Get 'Em In the Seats

Symphony orchestras are becoming a hard sell to time pressed, distracted Americans. But some orchestras have begun introducing novel ways to stem the outgoing tide..with martini bars, free buffet lines, speed dating and special event tee shirts.

The rub is that the biggest drop is in the subscriber numbers. People are willing to go, but in the true spirit of 'bowling alone' won't subscribe for the whole series. These are the lifeblood of the symphonies.The NY Times included this long account in Sunday's arts section.

Another factor is that there are many more concerts being performed than ten years ago, without a corresponding rise in concertgoers. Too much product.

But there has been success in adding elements of other popular pasttimes, like video screens projecting the orchestra members flailing their arms and close ups of them playing their instruments.