Journal 2013.2014Die jährliche Hauszeitschrift der Konzertdirektion

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When tenor Klaus Florian Vogt roars up to the ECHO Klassik award ceremony on his
Harley Davidson or pianist Hélène Grimaud talks about her life with wolves, one cannot
help but wonder how their art might benefit from this. And when an artist is asked during
an interview what hobbies they pursue and where they like to relax, one suspects that a
clever PR agent was at work. What does all of this have to do with music? Nothing, and
yet a great deal.
The perception of the artist and of classical music has changed in today’s world, which is
heavily influenced by digital media. An array of new classical stars generate a great deal
of media attention which extends far beyond the original concert experience. This, in
turn, also exerts increasing pressure on the “old guard”, who must be represented more
and more frequently in social media like Facebook and Twitter. It is apparent that the
artist’s personality – besides their musical achievements – comes increasingly to the fore.
But is this really new? Franz Liszt and Paganini can be regarded as the first pop stars
in a modern sense, with their womanizing, excessive alcohol consumption, and hysterical
audiences. Or the violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim, who at the same time and
composed and founded the first conservatory of music in Berlin: taught 400 students,
commissioned works, and organised unique concert programmes long before it was
considered innovative. More recent examples also show that the star cult is not that
modern. When Karajan swung out of his Porsche in Salzburg in 1957, the cameras
clicked – at the staid appearance of Eugen Jochum, they did not click. While Karl Böhm
still conducted rehearsals in a suit and tie, Solti already in 1958 recorded Wagner’s Ring
wearing a polo shirt. What these artists have in common is their unconventional appearance,
their transgression of the traditional boundaries of classical music, and their fascinating
effect of the audience.
What is new, however, are the increasingly obvious changes in the classical music industry.
The formerly well-established role of classical music is no longer taken for granted,
and the traditional middle class, which used this form of musical performance as a
representation of itself, no longer exists. Among a wide range of cultural offerings, the
classical concert still plays a role, but not the decisive one. In an attempt to prevent their
own loss of importance and instead continue to enthuse the audience with classical
music, concert halls are increasingly developing individual profiles, given the harsh competition
with other concert halls and beyond. Their programmes are no longer limited to
classical concerts, but also include special programmes for children, educational programmes
for students, party formats for young people, and concerts for elderly people.
This can, in turn, be translated to the artist’s public media presence. In addition to their
musical achievements, increasingly their personality becomes the focus of attention.
People want to know what exsists behind a performance, what does the artist’s private
life look like, and what happens backstage at a concert? In this context, social media
fulfil a dual function in that they both facilitate and necessitate connection to the artist.
In an oversaturated media landscape, it thus becomes increasingly important to convey
a clear image of an artist which emphasises their uniqueness beyond musical aspects
and increases their visibility. The task of PR is to use this, that is, to attract public interest
in specifically selected topics. PR therefore fulfils an essential communication function
and provides a point of contact for public perception. This can result in approaching an
artist through their hobby and using their interest as a way to relate to the person behind
the music. Topics and interests are manifold. Today, as in the past, it is ultimately up to
the artist to fill the gap between himself and the public with substance.