Its second season of theatrical Soundbytes concert-lectures opened Saturday night at Heinz Hall with a focus on the great German composer. Earlier this decade, symphony orchestras across the country faced some frightening facts. Funding was being cut, audience subscriptions were dwindling and fewer young people seemed to be attending concerts. Some naysayers and experts even went so far as to predict the death of classical music. Any imminent demise was certainly overblown, as the music scene's recent upsurge indicates, but the scare put into organizations has done wonders for the industry.
Attitudes have changed, leading orchestras to no longer feel entitled to patrons.
They now realize that they must work hard to create an audience base to insure their future. And when in doubt, educate. The most common manifestation is the concert lecture akin to Soundbytes. The further hey stay away from dumbing down music history or resorting to inaccurate and reductive stereotypes, the better. Kimbrough painted a picture of Beethoven that exaggerated things a bit.