Dresden Music Festival
Vogler: The classical music industry has to renew itself after the pandemic
Musician Jan Vogler organized concerts on the Internet during the corona pandemic and founded a streaming platform. With a view to the future, he considers “new tones” to be advisable in the concert business.
According to cellist and festival director Jan Vogler, the classical music scene must be renewed after the corona pandemic.
“Concert-goers now make a lot of choices and have a precise idea of what they want to hear. During the pandemic, you learned how to get along without live music if necessary, »said the 58-year-old in an interview with the German Press Agency. Music fans would come back to the concerts, but not at any price and would not accept everything that was put in front of them: “Even if that sounds paradoxical, that’s basically something good for our industry. We now have to look very carefully at how we bring the music back to the listeners, it is the perfect moment to try new formats and to throw all our passion for music into the balance. »
Vogler, who is a soloist on his instrument and is responsible for the Dresden Music Festival and the Moritzburg Festival as artistic director, can also see a good side of the pandemic in retrospect. “The pandemic has made us very thoughtful. Thoughtfulness is always good in the music industry, too.” The uncertainty persists among listeners and artists alike. Many concerts are no longer sold out even after the restrictions have been lifted. Some musicians are still afraid and would shy away from touring.
“Diversity in Classic”
“But most of the artists are highly motivated and really look forward to the live encounters with the audience. At the Dresden Music Festival and also at the Moritzburg Festival, we are observing a strong demand for concerts where the audience anticipates a special atmosphere and charisma,” said Vogler.
“Now diversity in classical music is in demand. The pandemic has acted as a catalyst,” said Vogler. The classical music scene can learn from pop artists, who have to keep reinventing themselves and developing new forms of marketing. «The classic should not be placed in a glass case. The listeners demand quality and want to go home enthusiastic. It’s not just about what genre we present, but how we present it.”
For the 45th edition of the Dresden Music Festival, which begins this Wednesday and lasts until June 10, Vogler has chosen the motto “Magic”. With performances by renowned artists and ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the percussionist Martin Grubinger, Ute Lemper or the jazz player Jamie Cullum, the audience should surrender to the magic of the music.