A Summer Music Series

Things that work

I’ve just returned from performing at a couple of Summer shows.  As unusual as they are, I’ve done Summer shows on a lot of campuses for many years, and I’m always impressed with the interest and attendance.  Students enrolled in Summer classes pay student activities fees, so they are entitled to programs even if the campus is slow.  It’s important to make the programs fit into the needs and desires of Summer students. 

For several years, I performed at the University of Arkansas during the Summer.  They did an early evening concert series outside of their main cafeteria.  Students would flow out of student center and sit right down to listen to the music.  The activities staff knew how to do events right in the traffic flow and at the right time, so that students couldn’t miss the event.  I performed on their campus once on July Fourth while they grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for their students.  It was the traditional July Fourth Family Cookout, but with the “campus family.”

We all grouse about the most common way to get students to attend any event:  free food.  I just performed at the University of Tennessee (for the 15th summer in a row), and they have used a number of food giveaways.  They used to give away free snow cones.  How cool and cheap is that?  They got crushed ice from the athletic department and flavored syrups from Sam’s Club.  Then they shifted to ice cream.

Ice cream is a consistently popular food giveaway in the Summer.  At Boston University, they would give away three away three five-gallon containers during my Noon concert.  Students would line up thirty minutes in advance to get their scoop!  Part of my job, as a performer, was to keep them happy before the ice cream was ready.  I would actually start to perform at 11:30, and the ice cream wasn’t brought out until Noon.

The folks at the University of Tennessee found away to eliminate the hassle and mess of scooping ice cream.  They now giveaway ice cream novelties:  nutty buddies, pushups, ice cream sandwiches, etc.  It’s also great because students can grab them and run.

Look at scheduling your Summer programs at the right time and the right days.  Boston University, the University of Tennessee, and  Virginia Commonwealth University always scheduled my shows during summer orientation or a parents’ visitation.  It makes the campus look so inviting to those new students and parents to see something happening.   And it guarantees an audience.

Western Carolina University uses their Summer Concert Series for multiple purposes.  They are scheduled during summer orientation for the students and parents.  But in addition, they also promote them off campus, and view their Summer Series as a community outreach.  There were almost as many community residents at my concert last week as there were summer students and orientation students.

If you are doing Summer programs, I'd love to hear what works for you.

Comments

[Greg Reiner]

I've tried to do a summer program but it never seemed to work. The students were so few and far between that the turnout was usually pretty low. I do like your idea of the free ice cream because it is hot.

How did the universities advertise for their events?

I think I will have to try it again and see what happens.

[Del Suggs]

There are a few key factors in making a Summer Music Series work.
First, take it to the students-- that likely means a day time program around lunch, or an evening program around dinner (if you have residence halls). Students need to literally bump into the show. At the University of Tennessee, we put the show along the path behind the University Center where a huge number of students pass between class.
Second, utilize critical mass-- do the shows when there are the most bodies on campus. During the Summer that likely means during early orientation sessions and Parents' visitation days.
Third, make it serve multiple purposes-- not just your typical campus show for the students. Appeal to visiting parents and incoming new students. Promote the show to the local community as an outreach event-- at Western Carolina University, the Summer Series actually started in the President's Office as a "gift" to the local community.
Fourth, If the show is done in a location where the students already congregate, then on-campus promotion is far less important. If the program is also done for the local community, then promote it through PSAs and announcements in the local newspapers and advertisers.
Hope this helps!

[Greg Reiner]

It makes sense to bring it to the students. I think the critical mass of a school like UT is great to have. I think also your idea to get the community involved will help a lot too.