Season 77September 2023 - April 2024 |
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Introduction - Your Comments
Below is a selection of your comments. Many were written within specific sections of the survey form and are shown here under those headings. Other comments were more general, many of which were written on the back of the form.
Please remember that if you still have something you would like to say there is the About Page where several email links are available to use.
Preferred Music Style
Baroque - "Enjoy - in small doses"
Opera - "Light opera, professional performers"
Jazz - "Not modern", "Trad", "Trad"
Vocal - "Neutral - depends on type"
Other - "G & S and Victorian Parlour Pieces",
"Small vocal ensembles",
"More shorter works rather than a few long ones",
"Brass Quartet - Enjoy",
"I also enjoy Blues and World Music",
"Modern - Dislike", "Modern Composers",
"African Drums / Music from Foreign Lands".
Preferred Instrument
Single Type - "Enjoy if piano"
Guitar - "Classical", "Classical"
Harp - "Enjoy v much", "Enjoy v much"
Voice - "Enjoy if top quality"
Other - "Mandolin, banjo. How about the Mandolinquents?"
Two committee members have now seen the Mandolinquents perform and have obtained CD's to demonstrate at committee meetings.
Reasons to Attend a Concert
"Only illness or away prevent me from attending"
"Ill health - holiday"
"Only previous/other engagement stop me attending"
"We endeavour to attend all concerts and experience music we may not be familiar with"
"We aim to attend each one - conflicting commitments are the problem"
"Attend all concerts unless prevented by illness. Have only missed about 2 in last ten years"
What Makes for an Enjoyable Concert
Artists Comments - "I don't like talk from the performers"
Final Piece/Encore - "I hate encores"
Running Time - "Not relevant",
"In general the longer the better!"
"A well known person is sometimes not as expected"
General Comments
"'Single type' is a bit vague it could mean solo instrument or a consort of viols - I assume the latter"
"Dislike very modern and strident music mainly showing artist's skill - quite hard on the ear"
"Rather difficult to complete! I usually go to each performance with a neutral view (except harps!) the majority I end up enjoying. Keep up the good work."
"Flower arrangement on stage is very nice, but does not contribute much to the evening. If there is any cost-cutting to be done, the flowers should be the first to go. (Alternatively, arrange for a local florist to sponsor the arrangement.) We come to every concert as we like the variety of music unless we are ill or on holiday hence the strange numbering . . . "
"You suggest the attendance may depend on knowledge of the programme. As far as I am aware the audience do not know the contents of the programme until they arrive at 'The Lights' and purchase the programme on the night. Surely most people having reached that stage will then enter the concert hall. I have left twice at the interval because I had not enjoyed the first half and did not wish sitting through the rest of the programme. I think that is a pretty good record in favour of the programme content and have thoroughly enjoyed the committee's choices. Well done!"
"I have usually enjoyed each concert for the last 18 years or so, thank you all for your efforts."
"Attend all concerts - enjoy them all."
"Pentatonic were superb. I have heard them before. Just the quality for The Lights and Andover Music Club. The perfect venue for chamber music. I am a great supporter but tonight:
- I was embarrassed when the audience clapped after the first movement of the Beethoven
- The mobile phone going off
- Annoyed at 2 sweet wrappers being unwrapped near me - 1 in the adagio of the Beethoven
- Too much coughing especially in the Bruckner"
"Marvellous concert yesterday evening - Many Thanks indeed" (referring to the Lucy Parham concert)
Our Comments
We have been much heartened by the number of complimentary comments and impressed by the level of commitment some of our members have shown over the years.
Regarding the flowers, this is currently under discussion by the committee. However, the cost of the flowers is minimal compared to that of the artists and the enjoyment we are sure they provide to many.
During the September concert there was a great deal of coughing. There had been a recent cold spell and September is a common time for the spread of coughs and colds with children returning to school/college. It is likely that many of the wrappers being rustled were for cough lozenges to ease the coughing!
We are very grateful for the time that you spent completing these forms and especially to those who added more detailed comments. Rest assured that all of the committee have read all of your comments. Do please remember that just because the survey is over it doesn't mean that we are not open for further comments. There are several email links available on this website via the Home page and the About page. Or simply talk to one of the committee members at one of the concerts (but not during - please!).