MA research Questionnaire.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've just enjoyed myself filling in this questionnaire about Orchestral Concert-going preferences, put online by an MA student at Sheffield University. I thought Forumistas might have similar fun (nothing to do with R3, just orchestral concert-going in general). It took mne about 15 mins - but I do like the sound of my own prose, and it may well take others much less time than that! )

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqD3lL02Uunhj1Jr2KYMGvMgB61WXBQNatjFwwJtNr6NvgGw/viewform?dm_i=4HGR,KOLD,1XMO4H,2FCTU,1

(I was sent it via the Leeds International Concert Series newsletter.)

[LeMartinPecheur]

Thanks ferney, a very interesting challenge! I could only think of Glass as a symphony-orch composer I really wouldn't bother to go to hear (sorry Mr Glass!), and even that might not be 100% true.

[Pulcinella]

I've just enjoyed myself filling in this questionnaire about Orchestral Concert-going preferences, put online by an MA student at Sheffield University. I thought Forumistas might have similar fun (nothing to do with R3, just orchestral concert-going in general). It took mne about 15 mins - but I do like the sound of my own prose, and it may well take others much less time than that! )

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqD3lL02Uunhj1Jr2KYMGvMgB61WXBQNatjFwwJtNr6NvgGw/viewform?dm_i=4HGR,KOLD,1XMO4H,2FCTU,1

(I was sent it via the Leeds International Concert Series newsletter.)

Thanks ferney, a very interesting challenge! I could only think of Glass as a symphony-orch composer I really wouldn't bother to go to hear (sorry Mr Glass!), and even that might not be 100% true.

If that's one of the questions, it might take me a little longer than 15 minutes to complete: I fear that there are a fair few composers that don't draw me to a concert.
That doesn't mean that I won't/don't listen to their works in broadcasts, though.

[Richard Tarleton]

If that's one of the questions, it might take me a little longer than 15 minutes to complete: I fear that there are a fair few composers that don't draw me to a concert.
That doesn't mean that I won't/don't listen to their works in broadcasts, though.

I went for concise - I meant to explain why I go to fewer concerts these days, but forgot. I also had to unpick a couple of his groupings, which combined composers I love with composers I avoid at all costs

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I also had to unpick a couple of his groupings

I suspect that Jenny Espin is a "her"

[Richard Tarleton]

I suspect that Jenny Espin is a "her"

Beg her pardon, I went straight for the questionnaire

[LeMartinPecheur]

If that's one of the questions, it might take me a little longer than 15 minutes to complete: I fear that there are a fair few composers that don't draw me to a concert.
That doesn't mean that I won't/don't listen to their works in broadcasts, though.

It is indeed one of the Qs though I don't now recall its exact wording. I have a fair list of composers and works I don't much like, but for most of them that's followed by the qualification "Don't like them yet but will keep trying!" Glass has somehow gone beneath that category.

[gradus]

Duly completed but as I filled it in I seemed very conservative indeed - not that it particularly concerns me.

[MrGongGong]

Very disappointing and assumed that everyone thought about music in historical periods

[kuligin]

Yes rather a sad limited knowledge is shown by these questions, I have answered to the effect that every period has music I am passionate about....

[Dave2002]

Seemed to be trying to force black and white answers. Likes/dislikes of particular composers/periods/genres/instruments. I’m less bothered. There are pieces by Mozart I love, and some which I think are very dull. I wrote that I like Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony but detest the Isle of the Dead. How on earth any meaningful “analysis” is to be done I don’t know, but it’s not my problem.

[cloughie]

Yes rather a sad limited knowledge is shown by these questions, I have answered to the effect that every period has music I am passionate about....

I think maybe some on the forum are being a little harsh without knowing the background to the research or failure to bear in mind that this is a younger person who has not experience of the highs and lows of a lifetime of listening to or performing music. He/she will hopefully learn much from our responses!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I think maybe some on the forum are being a little harsh without knowing the background to the research or failure to bear in mind that this is a younger person who has not experience of the highs and lows of a lifetime of listening to or performing music. He/she will hopefully learn much from our responses!

Yes - an MA student, so probably early 20s. I did wonder if she might have had preconceptions about "the average Classical Music concert-goer" that the Questionnaire would confirm. That's why it was such fun demonstrating that her questions were inadequate for purpose.

[Pulcinella]

Yes - an MA student, so probably early 20s. I did wonder if she might have had preconceptions about "the average Classical Music concert-goer" that the Questionnaire would confirm. That's why it was such fun demonstrating that her questions were inadequate for purpose.

At the risk of sounding even more harsh, one wonders why she didn't try the questionnaire out on a few friends or (dare one say it) her supervisor before going public with it.
Maybe some of the 'problems' would have been picked up then.
I haven't looked at it, so probably shouldn't comment, but it seems from what others have said that it hasn't been that well thought through, though there may well be room for comments to be added: a feature so often missing from other questionnaires, which is why, in general, I refrain from completing them (especially when they are Customer Services/Satisfaction ones!).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well, I know neither the student nor the supervisor, but I would suspect that the latter did indeed help with the setting up of the format of the questionnaire, Pulcie (and it's almost certain that she tested it "on a few friends").

The aim of this research study is to explore the concert-going preferences of symphony orchestra audiences in the UK and how these preferences may vary depending on the performance of certain orchestral repertoire. At present, little is known about audience members’ preferences towards the music they go to see in concert, therefore this study aims to uncover new information in relation to this topic.

Given that we (well, alright ... ) Given that I have frequently cursed concert programmers for the "safe" and "unadventurous" items that they offer, I would hope that such research would perhaps indicate to them that their "don't scare the horses" approach is contributing to any decline in audience numbers, rather than preventing it.

And, you're right - there's plenty of opportunity for you to say "this question doesn't address how I respond which is ... " in each answer. It's not just ticking boxes: and (if there were the sort of prejudices about Classical Orchestral Concert audiences that I suspected) plenty of opportunities to put her to rights.

Go on! Have fun, Pulcie!