The orchestra's marketing people are beaming about their success and scheming to expand upon it. Jill Evans was director of marketing from November 1996 through Oct. 1, when she left the MSO to join the orchestra consulting firm of Lester and Associates. Evans was in charge of public relations, advertising and the MSO ticket office, and she devised the orchestra's strategies for getting more people into the hall. These numbers represent classical seasons of 51 or 52 concerts over 18 different programs. In the old days, the MSO did 20 classical programs and about 60 concerts.
Marketing is a process that is now fully ingrained into the staff.
Evans said that more sophisticated techniques are being brought into play in selling the orchestra and its music. We take a common-sense approach to allocation of resources. In some cases, yes. Evans said that attendance was so low early in her tenure that a heavy marketing investment had to be made. The hall needed to be filled.