June 12, 2008

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Attendance Increases

The 2007-2008 season proved to be another artistic triumph for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and audiences responded through an increase in attendance. This past season symphony goers were moved by Mahler, stirred by Mussorgsky, got goose bumps when John Adams conducted his dramatic On the Transmigration of Souls and thought the earth moved under their feet when Paavo and the orchestra tore into “The Rite of Spring.” Whatever the weekend, whatever the repertoire, the CSO delivered and the fans reacted. Paavo Järvi continues to bring out the best in the orchestra and they continue to impress audiences and critics alike.

The Numbers

1. CSO and Pops ticket sales (subscriptions + single tickets) have increased.

Total average tickets sold to CSO concerts is up 3% from last season. Total average tickets sold to Pops concerts is also up 3% from last season.

1. CSO and Pops attendance has increased.

Total average attendance at CSO concerts is up 2% from last season. Total average attendance at Pops concerts is also up 2% from last season.

1. CSO single ticket sales have increased.

Following national trends, classical concertgoers are increasingly opting for single tickets over subscriptions. While CSO subscriptions are down 3%; the average number of single tickets sold per concert is up 15% from last season.

1. Total attendance has increased.

140,608 people attended 2007-2008 CSO and Pops concerts at Music Hall, an increase of 1.2% over last season. This includes CSO, Pops, Lollipop, New Year’s Eve and Lord of the Rings.

1. Pops subscriptions and single ticket sales have increased.

Pops subscriptions are up 1% from last season. The average number of single tickets sold per concert is up 7% from last season.

1. More young people are attending the CSO and Pops.

Student tickets sold to CSO and Pops subscription concerts are up 18% from last season, and overall student tickets (including Lollipop Family Concerts, New Year’s Eve, CSO Chamber Players and Lord of the Rings) are up 27% from last season. (These numbers do not include Young People’s or Education concerts.) Student ticket prices vary, but were $10 with a valid ID for CSO and Pops subscription concerts.

1. More families are attending the symphony.

Lollipop Family Concert attendance is up 35% from last season.

New Marketing Director, Sherri Prentiss, started in October and reorganized the Marketing/Sales department and is implementing new strategies to build the CSO audience.

“We made several tweaks to our marketing strategy this past season, including negotiating more strategic media buys and pursuing more aggressive e-marketing tactics,” said CSO Marketing Director Sherri Prentiss. “We also set specific sales goals, such as our ‘drive to 12-5,’ and the organization and our audience responded. We’re poised to build on this success in the 2008-2009 season.”

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Season Highlights
The CSO performed 51 subscription concerts in the 07/08 Music Hall season. The 2007-2008 season had two fewer subscription concerts due to the European Tour and a snow cancellation on March 8, 2008. Paavo Järvi and the CSO recently completed a successful twelve-concert, five-country European Tour that reconfirmed Cincinnati’s place on the musical map of the world. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber planned a trade delegation to coincide with the concerts and entertained business investment prospects in Paris, Amsterdam and Dusseldorf.

“The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra sold out concert halls in Paris, Madrid, Vienna, Amsterdam and Munich during the European tour in April,” said Prentiss. “The world recognizes that we have something truly remarkable right here in Cincinnati, and we want more people at home – from every walk of life – to experience the world-class talent right in their own backyard.”

In January, longtime CSO President Steven Monder announced his retirement, effective June 30, 2008. A search committee of the CSO Board has been charged with seeking out a replacement and a national search is underway.

The Drive to 12-5
For the last two concert weekends at the CSO, the Marketing/Sales department embarked upon the “Drive to 12-5” with the lofty attendance goal of 12,500 for the last two CSO concert weekends (five concerts total). The CSO surpassed the goal with 12,743 attendees. The goal was achieved through major email campaigns, PR appearances, box office conversions, traditional advertising and guerilla marketing tactics.

1. Average concert attendance for the 07/08 CSO concerts at Music Hall was 1,560, up 1.5% from last season.

• Total average tickets sold to CSO concerts is up 3% from last season.
• While CSO subscriptions are down 3%; the average number of single tickets sold per concert is up 15% from last season.
• Total attendance for 07/08 CSO concerts at Music Hall (includes New Year’s Eve, Lord of the Rings and Lollipop Family Concerts) was up slightly (by 665 tickets) from last year, despite there being two fewer concerts this season.

Top 5 CSO Concerts at Music Hall in 07/08*  
1. Fabulous Finale — Paavo Järvi and pianist Lars Vogt (Season Finale)
2. Zukerman Returns — Paavo Järvi and violinist Pinchas Zukerman
3. Russian Epics — Paavo Järvi and pianist Nikolai Lugansky
4. Fantasy Weekend — Paavo Järvi and pianist Awadagin Pratt (Opening Weekend)
5. The French Connection — Paavo Järvi and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet

*Based on attendance per individual concert performance

Education and Outreach
More families and more young people are attending the CSO and Pops.

• Student tickets sold to CSO and Pops subscription concerts are up 18% from last season, and overall student tickets (including Lollipop Family Concerts, New Year’s Eve, CSO Chamber Players and Lord of the Rings) are up 27% from last season. (These numbers do not include Young People’s or Education concerts.) Student tickets sold to CSO subscription concerts are up 12% from last season. Student tickets sold to Pops subscription concerts are up 42% from last season.

• Student ticket prices vary, but were $10 with a valid ID for CSO and Pops subscription concerts.

1. The CSO performed for 42,613 students in 2007-2008 through Young People’s concerts, school visits and other educational outreach.

The CSO continued its commitment to education, community and diversity by creating a new high school chamber music group, CSO Nouveau Chamber Players, comprised of six African-American high school string students who successfully auditioned for the group and performed locally. The CSO provides free chamber music lessons and coaching by local violinist Marion Peraza de Webb. The program was designed to help achieve one of the CSO goals to recruit more African-American and Latino students.

The CSO also undertook a new outreach program when Paavo Järvi led the CSO in a concert in West Chester that raised money for the music programs of the Lakota School System.

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Attendance Highlights
The Pops performed 20 subscription concerts in the 2007-2008 Music Hall season.

• Average concert attendance for the 2007-2008 Pops concerts at Music Hall was 2,439, up 2% from last season.
• Total average tickets sold to Pops concerts is also up 3% from last season.
• Pops subscriptions are up 1% from last season.
• The average number of single tickets sold per concert is up 7% from last season.
• Total attendance for 2007-2008 Pops concerts at Music Hall was up 2% from last year.

Outlook for 2008-2009
There are promising new initiatives and projects to entice people to attend the CSO – again and again.

• The CSO will present The Bartók Project — saluting the composer’s genius with three concert weekends including discussion, film and chamber music events.
• The CSO introduces the Premier Subscriber Club with enhanced benefits for eight + concert subscribers.
• The CSO implemented more subscriber-friendly pricing, including a 50%-off introductory offer for new subscribers.
• The CSO presents Paavo’s Picks — eight can’t-miss concerts selected by Paavo featuring undiscovered musical gems and rising star soloists.
• The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will perform as part of the Opening Weekend Festivities in Beijing for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in August. 
• The new National City Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center is expected to have an economic impact on the Greater Cincinnati area of $4.4 to $5.5 million annually. Riverbend’s current economic impact is approximately $20 million annually.