Audience, Art, and Artists
Submitted by: Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School
by Samantha Berry, Kaleb Chesnic, Caleb Madison, Kyle Schwartz (mentor: Todd Goodman)
In response to The Savvy Musician Challenge #1
Are Musicians Truly Important? Most people immediately agree that doctors, farmers, and teachers provide essential services to our communities. But what about musicians? Is our work vital? What kind of important differences can we make?
Musicians are not important. Not as musicians. They find their importance as artists. For the main function of musicians in society is not to simply present music, but to demonstrate the connection between the audience, art, and artists.
Musicians as artists expand upon the idea that a special relationship between the audience and the artists at work provides a deeper understanding and therefore a heightened enjoyment of art. If this relationship is lost, art has been lost as well.
Music has a special relationship to all the other forms of art. To believe that music should always exist solely as its own entity is shortsighted, for all arts are interrelated. And music, as with any experience in life, will always be related to past events and put into a context of an audience member’s personal knowledge.
Music can be described as a conversation between the audience and the performers. Without the audience, music becomes a monologue and loses its purpose. It may be thought that this conversation remains one-sided, however the audience is the most important for they are the ones that define the topic of this significant conversation. Art is often not about stating ideas directly; therefore the audience is the final part of the creation of the art and therefore art’s final reaction. A bystander who is sitting in a concert hall while a performance is happening is not necessarily an audience member. They only elevate themselves when they begin to think about what they are hearing and how it relates to their own life. Then they truly become an audience member. It is their reaction, be it positive or negative, to the musician’s art that affects the art itself. An audience’s background and their personal experiences change how they perceive art, which can only be what it is perceived to be. The audience is the most important part of art.
Art itself, however, is the foundation for any experience. Although so many different reactions may be derived from the same piece. The piece in its essence has not changed and never changes. The art has an immortal lifeline that we can only touch and experience, but to which we can never give. That being said however, art evolves and progresses. New art is being created on a daily basis not because we necessarily need new music or paintings or styles of dance, but because we as people are evolving as well. Our art only reflects the emotions and issues of our era and therefore changes as we change. Art itself is the most important part of art.
Artists also have an essential role in art. They initiate the conversation with the audience. They present discussion. Without artists, the art will not have an opportunity to be presented and it would simply fade into the conclaves of history. This presents the idea that artists are often foster parents, caring for and loving the music—trying to affect its life. They are then presented with the challenge of passing that music on to others, letting them love and nurture it, even if for a brief period of time. Musicians do not change a piece of music, but instead are constantly being changed by it. Artists learn so much from their art that they also partake in it and become members of the audience allowing themselves to grow into its community. Artists are the most important part of art.
As we see it, the audience, artists, and the art itself are all equally important when it comes to an artistic experience. However, often today the audience is treated as a separate entity from the artistic production. It is the job of musicians as artists to bring more unity between the artists, audience, and art through a few different methods:
- Convey the relationship between art forms more clearly. Art is all-inclusive and all its forms relate to one another. Be that the art of teaching, performing, composing, painting, speaking, writing, listening, or one of the hundreds of other roles an artist plays.
- Music’s concepts should be easier to relate with and comprehend. When these elements are easier to understand, through education or their relationship to the other arts, an audience begins comprehending the music itself. When the audience begins comprehending the music, they are as equally involved in the performance as the performers. Expecting the audience to sit down and listen to music is not really expecting an audience at all. At that point they are just bodies filling a theater. This does not mean musicians should simplify their art. It does mean, however, that they need to invest time in better connecting with their audience.
- Present the same piece of art in different ways. Bringing in different art forms and having them work together helps the audience members understand more of what they hear and see. The audience ends up leaving the concert having a greater appreciation for art in general. In this situation everyone is benefitting from the experience.
Ultimately there really is no difference between the artist, the audience, and the art, for a singular point in time they are all working simultaneously to create a unique moment that could never be replicated. It is these moments for which all musicians should strive, because these brief points are what make art worth creating. The experience is the most important part of art.
Ensemble Immersion is an innovative group of high school students dedicated to furthering the boundaries of the arts. Offering an interdisciplinary performance, Ensemble Immersion encompasses music, drama, art, dance, film, and literature to provide an intellectually fulfilling and though-provoking experience.
7 Responses to “Audience, Art, and Artists”
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DAVID CUTLER balances a varied career as a jazz and classical composer, pianist, educator, arranger, conductor, collaborator, concert producer, author, consultant, speaker and advocate. Dr. Cutler teaches at Duquesne University, where he also serves as Coordinator of Music Entrepreneurship Studies.
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i like how they strive and stress that music is art not just sound.
Musicians are very important to the communities. Music gets people through bad days and art helps to broaden ones perspective. What world would this be without music.
My son needs someone to help with a school project where he chose a studio musician,so he needs someone as a mentor if you are willing to help please e-mail me and Thank You . Also you do not need to live close by we can do stuff by webcam and e-mail PLEASE HELP!!!!!!
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