This semester, I've been part of a UMS Faculty Insight Group that is exploring campus connections to the performing arts. As part of our end of year meeting Friday, we were asked to bring ideas for performances that would connect with courses we currently teach or would like to teach in the next five years. Of course, my mind went immediately to a Video Games Live concert. My proposal was met with laughter. I'm not sure if it's too "out-of-the-box" for the concert series, too low art, too new, too untested, etc... But I can't get that moment out of my head and wanted to process my thoughts about the idea a bit more by writing them out explicitly.
Here are the benefits I see in bringing a Video Games Live concert close to the University of Michigan:
1- Interdisciplinary Connections: Of course, the School of Music would benefit-- our technology students (PAT: Performance Art Technology) would not only enjoy seeing a multi-media concert, some of them are considering working in the game audio industry. A VGL concert would potentially bring Jack Wall and Tommy Tallarico to the area and our student would benefit greatly from a Q&A or brown bag lunch with industry experts like this. I'm certain that students in the Engineering area, particularly Computer Science, would be interested in these discussions. Other possible campus connections exist with the Screen Arts and Culture area, as well as others across campus who are interested in multi-media connections and video games.
2- Possibility to attract new audience members: Every performing series is exploring how to retain audience members as well as find new ones. I'm not sure if there are any studies of whether audience members who attend a concert like VGL, Distant Worlds, etc, are more likely to attend another concert later, but I am fairly sure that a game music concert would attract a different audience from a typical classical or jazz concert. Does that really matter? If folks come into the concert hall for a multi-media concert event, haven't we (musicians) already won? They're listening to an orchestra play music they love. That alone seems cool to me... win-win? These concerts are special events. Last fall, I showed a short clip of a VGL concert in my game music class and the students were blown away. The number one question: "where could they go to see one of these?!"
3- Popular among a young demographic: Another issue that performing arts series are exploring is how to gain younger concert goers. Let me offer my game music class at UM as a testament to how popular game audio is among young folks. I grew up with game music, but it was even more a part of young folks lives! Despite the fact that I can't get UM to give my class a credit toward graduation (UM calls these "area distribution:" Humanities, Creative Expression, Social Science, etc-- my class is just a free elective), Video Game Music class is amazingly popular. In fact, my game music class is the largest broad appeal class the School of Music has offered that doesn't carry area distribution. Game audio has become a part of our culture, our references, our lives. The younger one is, I think the more likely to be exposed to and attracted to game audio. The potential audience is exactly the one that performing arts series are looking to attract.
If a Video Games Live concert came to the Ann Arbor area, it would be no laughing matter. I see it as a perfect example of so many of the things we're looking for in the performing arts today: multi-media, technology plus art, attractive to young people, and attractive to-- perhaps-- a different audience than would normally attend concerts on a typical classical/ jazz series. Even better are practical interdisciplinary connections that exist around a university environment.
Of course there would be challenges in bringing a Video Games Live (or the like) concert to this area as well. I'm told the concerts are quite expensive and a sponsor is needed for it to be a financial reality. I think Ann Arbor's UMS is uniquely poised to handle that because they have a "Renegade" series that could potentially provide some of that support. The Renegade series is one that exists to explore new, avant grade art. Is there any doubt that-- whether it's your cup of tea or not-- a video game music concert is the kind of performance that would fit well in this arena?
Also, there's unquestionably the idea that many of the regular concert goers on a mainly classical/ jazz concert series would think this was not a concert to attend. But I wonder if the number of people who would be first-time attendees, or at least rare attendees who might return could make up for those stable audience members?
I'm sure there are other ideas that would support a Video Games Live (or the like) concert coming to the Ann Arbor area (or any similar University). I'm also confident there are more challenges as well. I'd love to hear your ideas on the matter. Do you know any statistics about game music concerts? Do they sell well? Are they profitable? Do they have good attendance? Whether you're working in the area and have specialized knowledge or are have attended a concert in the past, leave me your thoughts if you're inspired to do so.
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