Planning a Recital Program Part 2 of 3: What Kind of Audience Will Be Listening?

When considering an audience as I plan a concert, I often think in terms of a Venn diagram.

There are two circles: the venue, what the people want, and what I can do and want to do. My goal is to explore how repertoire can make these circles overlap as much as possible.

For example, for my next New York recital in October, there is the world of CCF, an Italian heritage organization, and my own world, which led me to choose two of the pieces for the concert: Mendelssohn's Op. 30, No. 6, “Venetian Boat Song” and Liszt's Fountains of the Villa d'Este. Also, since it is an evening recital, I thought about how to make the work fit that atmosphere and time of day. I will do my best make the circles above overlap as much as possible, in order to reach out to the entire audience.

Whether it's a piece I have performed many times before or something new, listening to music should help us to think new thoughts, travel to places in our minds we've never been, spark new ideas and fresh internal dialogues that make us think. We can also discover kindness and warmth within ourselves that we didn't realize we had, which can make us feel cheerful, courageous, and happy. At its best music is like a wonderful journey taking us to places inside our minds and hearts we may be discovering for the very first time.

Please check back tomorrow when I will feature some of the techniques I am using to perform the Mendelssohn.  Thanks!

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