Old-time musicians

The plan Fan Ning proposed at this time was three times more expensive than before!

The highest priced exclusive ticket is 18 pounds! It’s no wonder that the old professor was so frightened that he even said “to perform without an audience”. Google search reading

Generally, the attendance rate is less than or equal to 30%, and it is called an "empty venue" in the Tioline industry. This is naturally a bit exaggerated, but the fact is that if it falls below this line, the look and feel of the venue will be very ugly, and the number of people will It is sparse and has large vacancies, even on the first floor.

Even at the premiere of Professor Anton Konard's "Ninth Symphony," which was the most unsuccessful performance in his life, the attendance rate was close to 60%, but later on, another 10% of the audience left midway.

The enthusiasm of many media for reporting on such "empty performances" accidents is on the same level as reporting on serial murders, urban legends, and sexy news. Some media even pay no attention to the music field on weekdays. They have no interest in reporting on successful performances. When things like this happen, all kinds of news, big and small, come out.

[As I write this, I hope readers will remember our domain name Taiwan Novel Network→𝘵𝘸𝘬𝘢𝘯.𝘤𝘰𝘮]

Alas, this guy is too young. He may have artistic talent and general performance experience, but he doesn’t understand commercial acting at all.

Commons decided to give Fanning some basic common sense about the music industry.

So he asked: "Professor Fanning, do you know the highest ticket price for our Dean Gould's last tour before his death?"

"It's 12 pounds, and I bought two at the New Year's concert," Fan Ning said. "They were piano solos, and the price range is different from the symphony."

As a piano master, Dean Gould’s prices are relatively expensive within the range of piano solo concerts. It seems to be only equivalent to a mid-level professional symphony orchestra, but if the box office revenue is calculated based on per capita benefit, the economic value he creates is much greater than that of a single musician.

"Okay, then do you know what the highest price of the Royal Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra's commercial performance last year was?" Professor Commons asked again.

"It's also 12 pounds." Fan Ning continued to answer as usual, "As a top student orchestra, their level is already better than many mid-level professional orchestras."

"You know so clearly, why do you still make such an outrageous suggestion of 18 pounds?" the old conductor said more and more angrily.

"The Empire's most prestigious Santa Ramburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the exclusive ticket price is only more than 20 pounds. You are a student orchestra??" The old conductor waved his hands repeatedly, and the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together. "Professor Fan Ning, don't discuss this issue anymore. Follow the original plan, maintain attendance, and don't blindly fight for box office with those schools. The most important thing to us is to fill the audience as much as possible."

Among the evaluation indicators for the ranking of student orchestras of the Imperial Culture and Media Committee, hardware construction and daily activities accounted for 30%, and the commercial performance of the Summer Arts Festival accounted for 70%. The calculation of the "market value" of the latter is a comprehensive consideration "Attendance" and "box office revenue" are two factors.

This is very reasonable. If you only look at the "occupancy rate", you can set the ticket price at 1 shilling. I'm afraid it will be sold out on the first day.

And if we only look at the "box office revenue", if a rich and good-hearted "scammer" appears and sets the ticket price at tens of thousands of pounds, and then just buys one to watch the performance, it may not be enough for this company in the quantitative evaluation stage. High score for the orchestra? I'm afraid there's going to be a huge and ridiculous scandal.

Only when the two factors restrict each other can an objective evaluation be made.

Commons pursues attendance so conservatively not only to protect the reputation of the school, but also out of motivation to protect students——

Many students have never experienced commercial performances. Although they have performance experience, they are performances for public welfare or internal activities, such as graduation concerts, and the audience is basically lively.

And if a business performance that has been prepared with all the effort is found to be empty when you go on stage, this scene will be unbearable even for some professional musicians. For students who are full of enthusiasm and wishful thinking and have high expectations, the blow will be even greater. , maybe it will leave a psychological shadow at the beginning of your artistic career.

Confidence is so important for players.

Fan Ning shook his head: "Professor Commons, if we follow the current plan, our box office ceiling will only be close to 9,000 pounds, so I have no room to rush forward and give up the 'market value' as a large indicator. Competition, just based on the quality of the performance and the response from the music industry, the certainty of getting the first place in the ranking evaluation is less than 30%."

The old conductor's eyes widened: "Why are you still thinking about ranking against those three giants? Are you still 30% sure?"

Fan Ning crossed his arms and smiled: "If you give up the box office competition, it will be 30%. According to my plan, it will be 90%."

His self-confidence was not given by himself. In less than two months, even if he could raise the level of the orchestra, there was no guarantee that it would be better than the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Theoline National Conservatory of Music. .

The Santa Lenia Symphony Orchestra's performance level, which he considered worrisome, had been "accumulated" for a long time.

Fanning's confidence comes from the master Mendelssohn.

Throwing this Romantic master's most famous "Violin Concerto in E minor" into a student orchestra commercial performance to compare the popularity, this is a more "dimensionality-reducing blow" than playing the "Fantasy Impromptu" by myself at that time - Mendelssohn and Chopin itself is not superior or superior, but a carefully composed large-scale orchestral work has more impact than a brilliant piano piece.

He could almost imagine that when the melody under Xilan's bow came out, the whole audience would feel numb.

Of course there's a problem: it's a premiere at a summer festival.

The premiere means that music fans have not been able to see it before. How to release some of its charm in advance so that everyone is still not satisfied, crazy for tickets, eager to hear the whole song, this may require some thinking.

Professor Commons was sitting in front of his desk at the moment, holding the edge of the desk tightly with his hands, his eyes full of uncertainty.

Seeing the old conductor's appearance, Fan Ning couldn't help but feel a little amused secretly. He struck while the iron was hot: "Look, the repertoire has been changed anyway. Do you really not want to try the pricing or anything? Don't worry, even if you have the worst luck, I also guarantee that the situation will be improved compared to the current ranking.”

"Dong dong", a staff member knocked on the door and handed over a pile of thick signatures - this is the workload that Professor Commons will review as soon as he gets to work today.

The old professor suddenly sat up straight as if he had made up his mind: "Professor Fan Ning, since you have conveyed your goals and confidence that are consistent with the interests of the orchestra, I will temporarily adopt your opinion and report to the principal, but you must clear"

Speaking of this, his expression became very serious, "In a few days, I will take a look at your rehearsal results and whether the violin concerto you wrote can really meet my expectations. If you are just blindly pursuing high goals, , even if you are collectively appointed by the school's senior management, I will go to them to complain and request that your change be withdrawn. I will never allow students to suffer serious frustration during performances."

"My classmates who have performed with me have only experienced 'serious' pleasure."

Fan Ning responded with a smile, looked down at his pocket watch, and then closed it with a "snap": "The time is almost up, I will go and meet with the members first. These days are the semi-annual musician assessment period, right."

Carrying his briefcase and walking to the door of the office, he turned back: "By the way, Professor, in this case, please give me sufficient authority when it comes to band rehearsal style, assessment mechanism, position adjustment and other issues."

"Okay, okay, go ahead." Professor Commons waved the pen with a grimace, his face already buried in the thick pile of signatures, but his mind was distracted again and again.

Wait, what happened?

He first agreed to replace Gilles's "Third Symphony" in the second half, and then agreed to replace it in the first half with a violin concerto he wrote himself for the premiere? And then agreed to a ticket transfer plan that was three times the original price? ? In the end, he has now acquiesced to letting him arrange the assessment and adjustment of the musicians? ? ?

…hell. The more he thought about it, the more something was wrong. After muttering something in a low voice, he raised his voice and shouted: "...Fan Ning, don't mess around with major personnel issues involving the withdrawal of personnel and the appointment and removal of the chief executive!"

"My adjustments are limited to this concert." The voice of the young associate professor came from far away in the corridor.

The old conductor felt a little relieved. When he lowered his head, he saw that the pen tip that landed on the paper had brought out a large pool of ink.

“…crazy, crazy…these changes are crazy…”

…

The semi-circular rehearsal room is brightly lit by gas lights, and the uneven wooden walls and smooth wooden floors all scatter soft orange light.

Today is the meeting time with the official members and the semi-annual assessment. The students carried musical instruments and entered the venue in twos and threes. Among them were a few familiar faces to Fan Ning. These were those who participated in the premiere of "Symphony No. 1" in the square. More than ten official members.

When the graduation concert was re-performed later, although Fan Ning could mobilize all the official members, except for individual adjustments, he still chose the original cast for the premiere in the square, so he was not familiar with most of the students here at this time.

But basically everyone knows him.

People who passed by him and greeted him would blurt out their names from time to time and then quickly change their titles.

"Good morning, Mr. Fan Ning." Roy, who was wearing a goose-yellow dress, had already sat down. When he saw Fan Ning come in, he went up to him to say hello, and then whispered: "I have brought you what you asked for last night. Coming."

"Good morning, I'll look for you after the show." Fan Ning's eyes showed gratitude.

"Professor Fan Ning, I am the newly hired command assistant Kaplan. Please give me your advice."

Fan Ning turned around following the sound and saw a man wearing a black formal suit, a blue bow tie, and black-rimmed glasses.

His entire body of clothing, watches, glasses and other items all reveal an expensive and high-end quality. The pen cap protruding from his breast pocket is shining with gold, but he is slightly puffy, his face is haggard, and his hairline is too far back.

...This doesn't look like he just graduated a few years ago. I guess he is almost ten years older than me, right?

Fan Ning wanted to think about it, but responded with a smile: "Hello Kaplan, I hope we can have a happy cooperation in the future... Were you from the conducting department before? Or the composition department or something?"

"I majored in finance." Kaplan replied politely.

"..." Fan Ning's smile froze, and Kaplan's self-introduction continued, "I used to work in the financial center of St. Taranburg Tulip Parish. You may have heard of the magazine "Institution" I founded. "Investors", which is a popular read on the Santa Ramburg Stock Exchange..."

Fan Ning listened in stunned silence, then coughed slightly: "Um, how long have you been studying music?"

"I studied piano for more than two years, and then studied conducting for half a year... Well, I invited well-known professional musicians or music educators to teach me, but I don't know enough about music theory, and I lack practical experience. I hope to learn these points from you in the future..."

"What about your previous side..."

Fanning couldn't help asking, because he realized that Kaplun was not just cooperating with him to rehearse a concert, he was formally joining the company.

"All quit or sold." Kaplun said.

"Before joining, I had completely completed the work of Santaramborg, including the companies I was mainly responsible for, which have been transferred one after another. At present, I only make profits from long-term investments. I have basically declined even the consulting orders from my old employer..."

"How much weekly salary did the school offer you?" In this context, Fanning felt that this question should not be considered rude.

"5 pounds." Kaplun answered very straightforwardly.

...Amateur, you are playing with your life. Fanning maintained a polite smile, but felt very strange in his heart.

"Can you compose?"

"I can only do some simple form analysis."

"Have you practiced sight singing and ear training?"

"I'm practicing."

"...What did you learn about conducting in half a year?"

"Keeping the beat."

Fanning felt his head getting bigger.

For a moment, he wanted to swap positions between Kaplun and another assistant conductor who was in charge of rehearsing the substitute band members.

How did the school recruit this guy? A relative?

"Professor Fanning..." Kaplun smiled attentively again, "Would you like me to collect your manuscript of the First Symphony? I'll give you 6,000 pounds, and you can raise the price."

"...I probably know how the school recruited you." Fanning couldn't help complaining in his heart.

More and more musicians came in, and he didn't have time to chat with this guy for the time being.

Forget it, just use him as a laborer.

The wall clock showed that it was three minutes after eight, and Fanning stepped onto the podium and glanced at the musicians sitting behind the fan-shaped music stands.

Roy's cello was leaning to the side, with his hands on his knees, looking at him quietly.

Joan, who was sitting in the middle of the back, seemed a little pale, which made Fanning briefly confused, but it was not convenient to ask at this time.

When Fanning glanced at the vacant position of the first violinist, he frowned, and then he found that there were still many vacancies, and his brows frowned even tighter.

"Kapulan, from now on, you will remember all the latecomers, accurate to the second." He ordered to the side.

Fanning did not lower his voice when he said this, and his voice was very obvious in the rehearsal room with a particularly good echo effect, and the whispers in the crowd suddenly disappeared.

Kapulan nodded repeatedly, took out a notebook, unscrewed the pen, and looked very seriously "patrolling" between the wall clock and the door.

A minute later, Julius walked into the rehearsal room with a violin case and an elegant smile.

"Tap, tap, tap..." With the sound of high heels, she suddenly felt that the atmosphere today was a little bit wrong, as if it was too quiet, and then she turned her head to the conductor's podium.

"It's this person again, I forgot that I would meet her today..." Fanning was squinting his eyes and looking into her eyes.

As early as the day of the factory investigation, I had already wanted to kill her, but I didn't expect that Cecil would die and she would not die now...

Julius was a little uncomfortable, but she didn't care, and still kept a slow pace until she sat down at her first violin position.

In the next ten minutes, musicians took their seats one after another in a similar plot process.

After everyone arrived, Fanning finally spoke:

"Starting from today, there will be 20 points for attendance in the group assessment. One point will be deducted for every minute of lateness. Less than one minute will be counted as one minute, and each point will be added up."

His eyes fell on Julius, and then jumped between a dozen specific seats, and then said again:

"If the leader of the section is late, no matter how long he is late, as long as he accumulates three times, he will be disqualified as the leader."