Engaging Millennials in Choirs: Strategies and Successes

1. The 21st Century Chorus with the 18th Street Singers @18thStSingers #choruscon

2. Who are these people? Mike Henry

3. Who are the 18th Street Singers?

4. The Game Plan • Our own experiences • Small group discussions throughout • Takeaways for any chorus

5. The Big Question: Why do choirs need millennials?

6. Attracting Singers

7. What are millennials?

8. Know Them • There are a lot of them! • Diverse • Well-educated • Less religious • Team-workers • Technology users • Accustomed to instant feedback

9. Find Them

10. Strategies for Auditions • Recruit from genres outside choral music • Leverage college networks • Make choir searchable • Craigslist: It works

11. Entice Them • Use what you know about millennials • Emphasize elements they’re familiar with • Sell them on the experience

12. Discussion Break! • What have been your choir’s greatest successes and challenges in finding millennial singers to audition for your group?

13. Engage Them

14. The Music - Programming • Broad themes based on idea or emotion • Collaborative programming • Embrace variety

15. Programming example – Reflections on War and Peace I: The Clarion Call The Battle of Jericho - Moses Hogan Reveille - GeorgySviridov Battle Hymn of the Republic - John Steffe, arr. Edgerton Sanctus (from Requiem, op. 252) - ZdenekLukás II: A Soldier's Reflections Turtle Dove - arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams Aura Lee - G. R. Poulton M'khalkelChayim - Abba J. Weisgall Ich bin das Brot des Lebens - Wolfram Buchenberg III: Sacrifice Funeral Ikos - John Tavener Ave Maria - Franz Biebl Ave Verum Corpus - William Byrd ChristusFactusEst - Anton Bruckner Loch Lomond - arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams IV: Renewal, Absolution and PeaceUnicornisCaptivatur - Ola GjeiloAshitawa Hare kana, Kumori kana - Toru TakemitsuAlleluia - Randall Thompson

16. The Music - Rehearsals • Spend time on technique • Spend time on individualistic work • Allow singers to speak up and ask questions

17. The Organization • No dues! • Flexible audition policy • No re-auditions • Flexible attendance policy • Season-by-season commitment

18. The Social Life

19. The Social Life • Choir as a way to make friends, not just music • Social perks of volunteering • Events not tied to rehearsals or concerts • Foster easy communication

20. Our Ethos: The Urban Family • The social aspect makes the singing better • Choir members are more than just singers

21. Discussion Break! • How does your choir engage millennials? • What non-musical opportunities does your choir provide for your millennial singers?

22. Attracting Audiences

23. Concert Accessibility Three types of accessibility: • Financial • Geographic • Musical

24. Discussion Break! • What do you think your millennial audiences are looking for? • How have you successfully integrated that knowledge into your organization?

25. Millennials and Marketing • Team-workers Participation • Educated Transparency and Authenticity • Technology users Use their Methods

26. Participation and Social Media

27. Participation and Social Media

28. Participation and Social Media

29. Participation and Social Media Social Media Tips • Show what it’s like to be part of the group • Life outside of music • #HashtagIt Stats to consider • 48% of daily Facebook users are mobile only • 93% of most engaging posts are photos

30. Overall Takeaways • Make it collaborative • Make it accessible

31. Q+A & Discussion Recap • What have been your choir’s greatest successes and challenges in finding millennial singers to audition for your group? • How does your choir engage millennials? • What non-musical opportunities does your choir provide for your millennial singers? • What do you think your millennial audiences are looking for? • How have you successfully integrated that knowledge into your organization?

32. Resources • Facts on Millennials Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends • http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/topics/millennials/ “Maximizing Millennials in the Workplace,” Jessica Brack, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School • http://execdev.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/maximizing-millennials “The Millennials Are Here: 5 Facts Nonprofits and Businesses Need to Know,” Colleen Dilenschneider • http://colleendilen.com/2012/10/09/the-millennials-are-here-5-facts-nonprofits-and-businesses-need-to-know/ • Recruitment tips from Chorus America: How to recruit volunteer singers: • https://www.chorusamerica.org/conducting-performing/how-recruit-volunteer-singers All Chorus America articles on recruitment: • https://www.chorusamerica.org/tags/recruitment • Audience development Audience Development for the 21st Century • https://www.chorusamerica.org/advocacy-research/audience-development-21st-century How to Engage the Millennial Generation in Choral Music • https://www.chorusamerica.org/management-governance/how-engage-millennial-generation All Chorus American Articles on audiences • https://www.chorusamerica.org/tags/audiences

33. Resources • Facebook Engagement “Facebook’s Mobile Tipping Point: 48% Of Daily Users Are Now Mobile-Only,” Ingrid Lunden, Mashable • http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/30/nearly-half-48-of-daily-users-of-facebook-are-now-mobile-only-says-ceo-zuckerberg/ “Photos Make Up 93% of The Most Engaging Posts on Facebook!” Socialbakers • http://www.socialbakers.com/blog/1749-photos-make-up-93-of-the-most-engaging-posts-on-facebook “7 Secrets of Highly Shared Facebook Posts,” Scott Ayres, Post Planner • http://www.postplanner.com/7-secrets-of-highly-shared-facebook-posts/ • Hashtags “The Beginner's Guide to the Hashtag,” Rebecca Hiscott, Mashable • http://mashable.com/2013/10/08/what-is-hashtag

34. Questions? Talk to us! • Mike Rowan • mjrowan@gmail.com • Henry Clapp • hclapp@gmail.com • www.18thStreetSingers.com • www.facebook.com/18thStreetSingers • @18thStSingers (Twitter, Instagram)