The Phoenix Symphony strategizes to appeal to new audience

The Phoenix Symphony will begin its 2022-23 season on October 14th. Music Director Tito Muñoz has traveled around the globe, not only to conduct but to bring world-class talent back to Arizona. Here to discuss The Phoenix Symphony’s strategies to appeal to new audiences is Music Director Tito Muñoz.

Advancing into its second season back after COVID, people are still trying to figure out the new normal but are happy to be back on the stage.

“Even like last season, coming back out of COVID, we wanted to give a lot of the standard repertoire, we wanted to bring in some new things, and this year will be the same. We have a lot of really wonderful, standard rep,” Muñoz said.

For several years now, full movies have been shown on the screen above the orchestra and the orchestra plays the soundtrack of the film below, according to Muñoz. This year, the featured movies will be “Hocus Pocus” and “The Princess Bride.”

In addition to the usual venues, The Madison Center for the Arts is a new venue that the symphony will play in.

There are many measures in place to attract new types of audiences and satisfy current season ticket holders.

“One of the new things we’re doing is Reverb, which is a contemporary music festival. We did it last year, it was the first time we’ve ever done it, and this year we’re doing it again. It’s a week, it’s new music, it’s curated by wonderful artists that are very specialized in new music. It creates a really wonderful environment to really cherish and enjoy new music,” Muñoz said.

What is the Pitch to Bring in New Audiences?

“Well, it’s pretty straightforward: there’s something for everybody at the symphony. I mean we’re doing a pop show that’s music of the ’80s, we do the movies, we do Messiah, we do stuff with the chorus, we do things with vocal soloists, we’re doing Broadway, we’ve got something for everybody,” Muñoz said.