Does the field of classical music focus enough attention on its audiences? with Aubrey Bergauer

My guest this week is arts administrator and thought leader, Aubrey Bergauer. Credited by Southwest Magazine with “redefining the classical concert experience as we know it,” Aubrey Bergauer defies trends and then makes her own. Her focus on not just engaging — but retaining — new audiences grew Seattle Opera’s BRAVO! Club to the largest group for young patrons in the nation, led the Bumbershoot Festival to achieve an unprecedented 43% increase in revenue, and propelled the California Symphony to nearly double the size of its audience and quadruple its donor base.

Praised by Wall Street Journal for leadership which “points the way to a new style of audience outreach,” Bergauer’s ability to strategically and holistically advance every facet of an organization, instilling and achieving common goals and vision across typically siloed marketing, development, and artistic departments, is creating a transformational change in the audience, in the office, on the stage, and in the community. A graduate of Rice University with degrees in Music Performance and Business, Bergauer now shares these ideas via her consulting work and speaking engagements across North America, including conferences for Adobe’s Magento, TEDx, Capacity Interactive, Opera America, Orchestras Canada, and the League of American Orchestras.
The question of the week is, "Does the field of classical music focus enough attention on its audiences?" Aubrey and I discuss why those who are unfamiliar with classical music don't feel welcomed into the classical music space, her tenure as Executive Director of California Symphony, the siloed nature of departments in organizations, why diversity is essential for the survival of classical music, and the internet's role in growing classical music's audience.
You can find out more about Aubrey Bergauer on her website, aubreybergauer.com, on Instagram @aubreybergauer, and read her articles on medium.com.