For those who believe orchestral music is not hip, listen up: the Toronto Symphony Orchestra participated in a Reddit Ask Me Anything on Thursday, answering a range of questions from a possible Rush appearance in the future to what are the etiquettes of clapping.
Reddit hosted the on the same day the TSO unveiled its . This year, concert-goers will be treated to a range of performances, from collaborations with the Ontario Science Centre and the Second City comedy troupe, to a musical version of Dennis Lee's classic "Alligator Pie."
The TSO's music director Peter Oundjian and CEO Jeff Melanson took part in the AMA that saw a lot of questions, some serious and others not so much. Here's a highlight of Thursday's discussion:
"Any plans to bring Rush onstage for a few hours?"
The Canadian rock band has a dedicated fan base, and it seems some of them are also orchestral music enthusiasts. While it remains unclear if the Grammy-nominated band will be making an appearance sometime in the future -- Melanson answered "cool idea" in response to the question -- it seems the CEO is also a fan of Geddy Lee and his bandmates.
But if the TSO and Rush do pair up, don't be surprised. The TSO has worked with rock bands in previous years. This past holiday season, the Barenaked Ladies and the TSO performed conducted by Lucas Waldin.
"How often does the cymbal guy sneak up behind someone and smash his cymbals together?"
According to Melanson, the answer to that question is, "not often enough."
The TSO's principal percussion guy is , who joined the orchestra in 1973. He is originally from Colorado.
"How do you feel about classical music in today’s youth? Is it dying?"
Oundjian is optimistic on this front. According to the Toronto-born seasoned music director, new ways of delivering music, such as streaming, is helping to enhance the access of classical music "enormously."
"How can we work on reducing premature applause at the TSO?"
According to the person who asked this question, some orchestra newbies have been known to interrupt a performance at the wrong time.
"This year, newcomers started applauding in the middle of the third movement of Rachmaninoff's second symphony because the music lulled, and that was on top of applause between each movement," the person commented.
Oundjian responds that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to showing your appreciation. "I feel that if a movement ends with great excitement, I am fine with applause. If it ends quietly and magically, I’m happy with silence."
