Managing the Western musical canon. Approaches to symphony orchestra program planning.

Abstract

This Master’s thesis is examining the repertoire selection of symphony orchestras. It aims to investigate the processes, strategies and decision making of orchestras through how orchestras give understandings and meanings to musical concepts such as the Western musical canon and contemporary music. Through theories of canon and music history, this research analyzes the discourses of knowledge and beliefs orchestra professionals have when planning the concert season.

The research data is gathered by interviewing three orchestra managers in Finland and analyzed through discourse analysis, with a social constructionist approach. Through this approach, the meanings and understanding of how managers construct their views towards program planning are reflected to the theories of Western musical canons, and the interviews also touches upon societal topics such as the relationship of the orchestra institution and society.

The findings of the research conclude that overall, the repertoire selection is a continuous process of planning and negotiation that comes together piece by piece, and orchestras aim for a predetermined balance of musical periods and styles. Orchestra managers are interested and aware of the recent public discussion regarding a growing demand for diversity, gender balance and equality in repertoires and composer selections, and they pay attention to these issues by addressing them in the repertoires while maintaining balance. However, the analysis suggests that the power of the traditional Western musical canon is strong and rooted in the institutional premises and the educational system of orchestra musicians and conductors, and orchestras are careful and concerned not to disrupt the performers’ or the audiences’ tastes and expectations towards the traditional orchestral repertoires.