{"id":60049,"date":"2019-04-18T14:50:27","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T18:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=60049"},"modified":"2019-04-18T14:55:15","modified_gmt":"2019-04-18T18:55:15","slug":"primer-how-the-tso-aims-to-break-down-barriers-with-new-relaxed-performance-concert-format","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2019\/04\/18\/primer-how-the-tso-aims-to-break-down-barriers-with-new-relaxed-performance-concert-format\/","title":{"rendered":"PRIMER | How The TSO Aims To Break Down Barriers With New Relaxed Performance Format"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Then-Music
Then-Music Director Peter Oundjian posing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Roy Thomson Hall before a concert on January 18, 2012 (Photo: Creative Commons\/Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you are a parent to a child on the autism spectrum, your options for family fun can be severely limited. That\u2019s a problem the Toronto Symphony Orchestra aims to help with by presenting a Relaxed Performance Concert<\/a> in a format designed for neurodiverse audiences on April 27.<\/p>\n

The performance is family-friendly and open to anyone, but the specific features of a Relaxed Performance were designed to help patrons on the autism spectrum, and those living with sensory,\u00a0 communication, and cognitive disorders enjoy the experience.<\/p>\n

Winona Zelenka is the Assistant Principal Cello for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and also parent to a daughter on the autism spectrum who is now an adult. She remembers the difficulties. \u201cIt means a lot,\u201d she says of the Relaxed Concert initiative. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard for parents to take their kids anywhere.\u201d Typically, taking those children to public events is an anxiety-filled ordeal where parents have to be hyper-vigilant to make sure their child obeys all the rules \u2014 and that they enjoy themselves in an environment that may not always be entirely friendly to them. \u201cIt\u2019s not fun,\u201d she says. \u201cThe freedom that this will allow parents is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a professional musician, home is also a practice studio, but Zelenka didn\u2019t find carving out a space at home nearly as challenging as finding that same safe space for her and her daughter in public. \u201cAt home, you find your space,\u201d she says. \u201cWe work around each other. But, you always need lots of help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Loden<\/a> is the Chief Executive Officer of the TSO. \u201cIt is the first time that we\u2019ve done it,\u201d he says. \u201cIt came about as part of an internal initiative that we felt was important. We\u2019re treating it as a pilot.\u201d As such, the first point of order was finding funding, which comes from a variety of private and corporate sources for this concert.\u00a0 Loden notes that the orchestra was aware there was a fairly significant group of people in the GTA who couldn\u2019t access their concerts. \u201cWe have many stakeholders in the community,\u201d Loden notes. \u201cIf your child is wired so that it\u2019s very difficult, you don\u2019t want to deny them those experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

The TSO worked with a Relaxed Performance Consultant with a strong background in theatre to get the details right. People on the autism spectrum may have trouble sitting still for long periods of time, and need to move occasionally. Unlike the rapt nature of most classical music concerts, audience members can get up and move around as they like.<\/p>\n

Some may need a quiet room to escape to. The quiet room will include comfy seats, fidgets, and other activities to relieve stress. If overall sound levels are too high, there will be sound-dampening headphones available.<\/p>\n

The Visual Guide is designed to reduce anxiety about the ins and outs of a concert, a detailed image-based document that will help anyone not familiar with either the venue or a concert environment how to navigate their way to their seat. \u201cIt\u2019s a road map for the whole experience,\u201d Loden says. The Visual Guide<\/a> is available for download prior to the concert. An accompanying Fact Sheet<\/a> provides details of the specific concert. As patrons enter the theatre, they will find tables set up with free packs that contain the Fact Sheet, and a map of the venue.<\/p>\n

The house lights don\u2019t dim as much as they would for a regular performance, (they\u2019re left at Libretto level,) and sound cues are toned down. If sitting at all is an issue, patrons have the option to experience the concert via simulcast on screen in the tunnels that lead to the auditorium. The last four rows of the concert hall will be kept open, so that audience members can choose to move there to hear the music from more of a distance. TSO staff and the front-of-house personnel at Roy Thomson Hall have all received specialized training to prepare them for the event.<\/p>\n

The relaxed concert model is common in the UK, where such performances are routinely offered by the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and many others. The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of many that present relaxed concerts throughout North America, including Orchestra Toronto, and the Aurora Orchestra.<\/p>\n

Some UK theatres have been presented relaxed performances for several years, including drama, pantomime, and musicals, and individual organizations have been offering such performances in North America since about 2011. In the UK, a national Relaxed Performance Pilot Project for theatres was successfully conducted between 2012 and 2013, resulting in the spread of the practice to the concert hall throughout Great Britain.\u00a0 From the project, a best practice model evolved.<\/p>\n

\"Winona
Winona Zelenka, TSO Assistant Principal Cellist (Photo courtesy of the TSO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, (who is Artist-in-Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia,) will lead the orchestra. The program for Let\u2019s Dance! was carefully chosen. \u201cSome people on the spectrum or neuro-atypical experience it in a more visceral way,\u201d Zelenka explains. It means the music may overwhelm them at times. \u201cIt\u2019s not that they enjoy it any less.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program will focus on \u2014 not surprisingly \u2014 dance music, including everything from Dvo\u0159\u00e1k\u2019s Slavonic Dance<\/em> to Stephen Roberts\u2019 Bhangra Dance<\/em> to Madonna\u2019s Vogue<\/em>, with some of the arrangements for contemporary popular songs by conductor Bartholomew-Poyser. \u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to signal to people is that they\u2019re totally free to get funky,\u201d Loden says. As a point of fact, the program includes an arrangement of Bruno Mars\u2019 hit Uptown Funk<\/em>. Along with the music, five dancers will be on stage to help interpret the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re excited that Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is on the podium,\u201d Loden says, noting his extensive experience with this kind of show. \u201cHe has a really dynamic personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

While it is something of an experiment, where the details may be fine-tuned according to the feedback from the concert, hopes are high that the Relaxed Performance will be a hit with its target audience. \u201cWhat I\u2019ve seen is a real upswell of interest among these groups,\u201d Loden says.<\/p>\n

The Relaxed Performance model doesn\u2019t work well with every type of repertoire. Some pieces may cause an agitated response. As Zelenka points out, that goes for the musicians as well. Some pieces require a high level of concentration. \u201cI\u2019m the first one to wish that everyone would be quiet,\u201d she says. \u201cBut, I just think there should be a separate time for people who experience it differently. This music should be accessible for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are moments when the silence is really breathtaking,\u201d Loden agrees. Offering both types of experiences seems to be the goal. Should the concert prove a success, there will be more Relaxed Performances down the road.<\/p>\n

The Relaxed Concert is an initiative of the TSO\u2019s Education & Community Engagement team, and takes place Saturday, April 27 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at Roy Thomson Hall. Details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

LUDWIG VAN TORONTO<\/i>
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n

Want more updates on classical music and opera news and reviews? Follow us on\u00a0<\/i>Facebook<\/span>,<\/i><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/i>Twitter<\/i><\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0for all the latest.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you are a parent to a child on the autism spectrum, your options for family fun can be severely limited. That\u2019s a problem the Toronto Symphony Orchestra aims to help with by presenting a Relaxed Performance Concert in a format designed for neurodiverse audiences on April 27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":60053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[25164,4967,4557,15953,63],"tags":[19108,28544,3360,3598],"yst_prominent_words":[28539,12068,21701,28537,6715,7202,28540,6613,28541,24767,28538,28536,6843,6674,6826,6683,6827,6825,28542,28546],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/04\/TSO-relaxed-Performance-2019.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-fCx","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60049"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60049"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60051,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60049\/revisions\/60051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60049"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=60049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}