Bringing it Home

A trend towards salon-style concerts has been burgeoning in the last few years. Classical pianist Kimball Gallagher travelled all over the world giving house concerts as part of his 88 Concert Tour; organizers and venues such as Jazz- Vox (Seattle), Jazz at the A Frame (Los Angeles), and The Q Quintessential (New York) present regular concerts with houses as primary venues; and house concerts have even inspired the formation of tech-based startup companies, such as Boston-based Groupmuse and Copenhagen- based Low-Fi, who are trying to make hiring a string quartet as easy as calling an Uber.

But back in 2012, still a house concert novice, I asked my ensemble members to reserve 17 dates on their calendar and went to work. First, I set ground rules for the concerts. The host is responsible for providing the audience, which must consist of at least twenty people. There must be a recently-tuned acoustic piano for the performance. The concerts are free for the hosts, but a $20 donation will be suggested from each audience member. (We advertise that audience members get a "free" CD with a $20 donation.) Hosts are not required to let us stay at their homes after the concert, but we appreciate a place to spend the night if they're willing. We don't require hosts to provide food or drink, but most folks choose to have some appetizers and wine when they have company over. Lastly, this is not background music! The audience is asked to be seated and attentive. 

With the ground rules set, the biggest question became where I might find seventeen people across the country to host such an event. I started with those I knew—former students, fellow piano teachers, friends from college. I targeted families I boarded with during piano competitions, family friends who had recently purchased pianos, and musicians I'd stayed in touch with from summer camps and festivals. My pitch played upon people's yearning for adventure and excitement—"Do something unique this summer! An in-home concert is an event your friends and family will never forget!"

... one host had to drive our saxophonist to the ER after he broke his foot in Tacoma.

Of course, these tours have had their negative moments too. One of our host's dogs pooped on our "stage" just as we were getting ready to play in a Chicago suburb; there have been last-minute cancellations which have left us stranded and financially in the hole; we've had hosts who misunderstood their duties and haven't provided an audience; one host had to drive our saxophonist to the ER after he broke his foot in Tacoma; and once I even put an incorrect date into my calendar, so we showed up for a performance at a house that wasn't expecting any musicians that night! But mostly, these concerts have reinvigorated my love of making music. Truth be told, I used to feel selfish about being a professional musician. After all, at a time of shrinking audiences and waning interest, what could the world need less than yet another pianist vying for attention? After discovering in-home concerts, however, my attitude has changed. The people we've met absolutely needed every single moment of music we gave to them and playing for these appreciative audiences made it clear to me that being a musician, in fact, is a selfless and essential endeavor. "I currently listen to EDM [Electronic Dance Music]," wrote a young concert attendee from Olympia, Washington, "but as I sat and listened, tears ran down my face. This is a first for me! Come again!" 

I don't know if you think music-making is selfish or selfless, but I'd love to talk with you about it. How about after a concert—at your house?