Third concert for our inaugural year done... a slightly shorter lead in time from the second one due to the availability of our guest performers, which meant that the second concert was later in the year and the third was a touch earlier. But a more efficient running of the publicity and other administration tasks due to me learning more about how it all works!
On the publicity front, the data from the ticketing flow shoed us that it the online advertising on social media continued to be useful and worthwhile, and in what was a touch of a surprise, the physical flyers and posters ALSO brought in quite a few newcomers to our concerts! In addition, our mailing list grew as well.. and even a few of those who declined to be added on the mailing list during the ticketing flow actually came onto our website or the subscription link and enrolled themselves after the concert!
As far as audience size is going... we are in a period of snowballing! The first concert brought in a surprisingly large turnout for a new group, and each concert has gone way beyond our expectations in pre-concert bookings! This time, the actual door sales were a little less than last time... not sure if that is a good or bad thing, it was a pretty bleak weather-wise on the concert day, so who knows???? But in the end, it didn't really matter, as the total turnout was much higher!
In both the second and third concerts, we did not predict that the size of the audiences would be growing so fast. We were expecting a much more modest growth... and so, in both concerts, we actually ran out of physical programmes. After the concert, we even had people emailing us to see if we could send them a digital concert programme! AFTER THE CONCERT!!!
The rehearsal period was pretty intense as always, just a single day and then straight into the concert. This is less than other groups... but I carefully choose the players that I play with. They need to be flexible and highly aware (technical and musical chops are just the base level!!!).... and more than comfortable enough to be going into a concert with lots that will just happen on the fly! I hate preparing everything down to the most minute detail and then pretending that it all "spontaneous"... some groups don't even notice that huge cognitive dissonance when that happens!
And as usual, after the concert... it is like a dream... everything and everyone disperses. The musicians, then audience, and the music... all gone... just a shared moment in time.
But for me... just a few more little things. Mostly administrative tasks to wrap up the project properly. Paying invoices, thank you messages to musicians and other people involved, updating the email list, reading and replying to all the lovely messages from the audience, posting the reviews and photos, writing to the email list to thank everyone for their support...
... I think that it is almost all done. I just have the to write the email subscribed thank you message. And then it is forward to planning for the next concert in November... and two education projects in between... and 2024 and 2025 concert programming. Plus festivals... and education projects. Sigh... it is quite overwhelming... but so very rewarding!
