By Lyn Bronson
For many years symphony programs tended to have a sameness about them. They often consisted of three works — an overture to warm up the audience, a concerto featuring a distinguished soloist, and after intermission, the conductor’s chef d’oeuvre, a large and imposing symphonic work that demonstrated the skills of the Music Director and showcased the orchestra’s principle soloists. The inducement for audiences to purchase season tickets was the music itself, and, of course, the soloists. However, audiences for conventional symphony programs have been diminishing and aging, not only on the Monterey Peninsula, but everywhere. Therefore, symphony managements all over the world have been seeking ways to present innovative programs that will reach new (and, hopefully, younger) audiences.
