Classical music concerts grow by more than 30% in a year, according to a UB study
The Catalan Association of Classical Music Performers (ACMIC) presented this Wednesday the second edition of the report ‘The current situation of classical music in Catalonia’, with data from 2022. The organization has noted that the year last year, 33.7% more classical music concerts were scheduled than in 2021, although they say that “there are still years of recovery” to reach the pre-pandemic figures, as pointed out by Magda Polo, professor of the Faculty of Geography and History of the University of Barcelona (UB) and author of the report. Thus, he added that close to half of the performances, 48.6%, took place in alternative spaces, especially in heritage sites. However, the big facilities continue to program well above the rest, with an average of 209 concerts per year.
In a press conference at the MUHBA space in Barcelona, the organization celebrated “the road to recovery” of classical music activity in Catalonia, which, as they emphasized, “is one of the most autonomous communities shaken after the pandemic”, above Madrid and Valencia, which have “recovered better”, as indicated by Polo.
Specifically, the ACMIC has detailed that 2,209 concerts were scheduled in 2022, 1,097 more than the previous year. The large facilities have had a 50% increase in programming, the medium ones have remained the same and the small ones have doubled their results. In fact, the study points out that more than twice as many alternative spaces have been found than in the first edition of the report, and that these host almost half of all activity. “We were very surprised”, said the author of the study.
In this sense, the report clarifies that 59% of venues have only offered a single classical concert per year, which indicates, according to Polo, that “there is no continuity in the programming”. And the study adds that 79% of the equipment in the program less than 4, and only 21% offer more than 4. There are, as he assured, “many equipment with few concerts”.
Regarding the presence in the territory, the study indicates that of the 2,209 concerts scheduled in 2022, 66% took place in Barcelona. The rest were divided into 14% in Girona, 10% in Lleida and 10% in Tarragona. In the same way, they have highlighted that in Lleida the number of facilities is significantly low, there are 5% of the total, and that fewer festivals are scheduled in Tarragona than in the other provinces (9%).
Slight increase in female composers
On the other hand, the organization has once again warned that it is necessary to correct the “gender bias” in classical programs, although in this year’s report there is a “slight increase” in female composers scheduled compared to in 2021 (1.7%), and also in concerts (0.5%).
Polo has assured that “there is no progress in the parity of instrumentalists”, since instrumental soloists maintain a presence of around 33%. Where the bias becomes more evident, according to Polo, is in the category of female directors. Only 16.8% of women hold management positions, and where there are more is in the field of choirs. “It is necessary to strengthen their presence in bands, orchestras and choirs”, added the author. For this reason, the organization has set as its objective to carry out a “comprehensive review of the gender policy”, especially in the new creation.