BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
How do ensembles achieve financial stability?
This is the question we’ve put to Gemma Turvey, artistic director of the New Palm Court Orchestra. The Melbourne pianist’s music initiative launched its very own Friends program, through which Gemma and the team are working hard to serve concertgoers and build a sustainable and valuable arts organisation.
But rather than offering a straight ‘series pass’ approach, Gemma and the NPCO aim to inspire loyalty and a sense of community by creating a space for audience members to meet – to chat with each other as well as the musicians – and share their enjoyment of music.
Gemma lets us in on her fundraising secrets, and tells us what the NPCO has been working on behind the scenes, to help you think about how you might structure your own musical projects.
Tell us how the Friends of the NPCO got started.
We had been wanting to do something like this for several years, and often talked about what shape it might take. We are blessed with a wonderfully passionate and loyal audience base. I wanted to nurture and harness this support, and also bring these individuals together. After a few years of operating as a not-for-profit, and with the wonderful freedom of moving into our generously donated office and rehearsal space in Richmond, the timing was right to launch it last November!
How did you design your Friends program different to other concert subscriber programs?
We reviewed other concert subscriber programs, and also looked at other ‘loyalty’ programs such as football clubs and travel clubs. We surveyed our core audience and discovered they aren’t particularly interested, yet, in concert subscriptions; but more in being part of a community, and special or exclusive opportunities to experience the music. Credit must also go to the great modelling and insight gained from working with the team at pro-bono consulting film GCG Consultants on a broader growth strategy.
How did you decide what to offer your members, and what were the challenges in creating something that is of interest to everybody?
This is definitely still a work in progress. We have started small, with a focus on live music opportunities, centred around a series of private Soirees for Friends of the NPCO held at NPCO HQ in Richmond. These showcase a soloist from the orchestra and myself. We also offer invitations to open rehearsals and backstage experiences. We have the great benefit of a wine partner St Anne’s, which enables us to offer complimentary wine at all our Soirees.
We launched the Friends program in November 2016 at our 5th Anniversary celebrations, so this is the pilot year for the program. We will take the opportunity to talk to our Friends in the coming months to learn what they’ve enjoyed, and what they’d like to see more of. We also want to develop some incentives for our interstate Friends.
What have you learnt about your audience since launching the program?
Our Friends of the NPCO Soirees are an excellent opportunity to showcase work that we otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to perform. It has been a great affirmation to watch our Friends being so open to hearing whatever we decide to play; they are curious and brave in that sense. I suppose they also have come to know me and my tastes as artistic director, and what I may or may not program!
Our last Soiree featured myself and NPCO violinist Jeremy Blackman. We performed an evening of music that hadn’t made the cut for our July 4 concert at Melbourne Recital Centre. This was a wonderful evening, and opened up conversation about the music, and certain techniques involved in playing. They’re very relaxed, intimate events.
What have been some of the NPCO initiatives to which audiences have best responded?
We’re preparing to host a special Friends of the NPCO Soiree and Wine Tasting this 24 August, and this has had a very positive response! I will be performing with Rosie Savage – NPCO French Horn – with wine tasting lead by Angus McLean of St Anne’s. We’ve matched the music to the wines; it’s going to be a very fun evening.
How have you found people’s relationships or reactions to NPCO have changed since launching the section?
It has certainly been lovely getting to know some of our audience more, and to also watch them interact with each other over the course of multiple soirees and events. So yes, its certainly engenders are powerful sense of community.
As a musician, what do you gain from the program beyond the financial support?
Friends of the NPCO is based on several levels of annual giving, which is of great benefit to the orchestra as we plan our future concerts and projects. Quite apart from the financial support, it is a wonderful way for us to spread the word about NPCO. It also provides an invaluable opportunity to try new works, and also the ever-important element of performance practice! To know that there is a community of supporters has also given our core players a boost too. It is hard to put into words everything that such a program brings!
What advice would you give to others looking to start this service with their ensembles?
Take time to survey or talk to your audience first, and be very clear about what you want to achieve from the program. It doesn’t have to do everything! Having external modelling and input from pro-bono consultants GCG was invaluable.
You can find out more about the Friends of the NPCO on the website. Friends will be able to meet Gemma at the NPCO Soiree and Wine Tasting event this 24 August.
Learn more about Gemma in this story by CutCommon contributor and NPCO chair Carol Saffer.
Images supplied.
