NY Phil: from Pickup Truck to Shipping Container

In light of both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a performance hall closed for renovations, the New York Philharmonic continues to innovate and find ways to share music with the community beyond the traditional walls of a concert hall. Building off the success of their summer 2020 Bandwagon program (https://iml.esm.rochester.edu/prjc/from-collaboration-to-new-business-models/), which brought chamber music to the New York Community by way of a Ford F250 pickup truck, the organization recently shared plans for  NY Phil Bandwagon 2.

The organization is retiring the pick-up truck for a renovated 20-foot shipping container pulled by a semi-truck. During the month of May, the organization will present four, weekend-long residences at parks in the city. The project includes partnerships with six organizations and 100 artists, and features 39 performances in total.

The orchestra seems to be adopting an interesting marketing model for this series. The concerts, presented in parks, will be free and un-ticketed, something to be expected given the nature and structure of the performances. However, the concerts will be unannounced. The organization seems to be really adopting a pop-up or even flash-mob approach with these performances. Beyond saving resources as it relates to marketing costs, one wonders how the pop-up structure might pique curiosity amongst loyal patrons—find the Philharmonic—and connect the organization with new listeners.

Learn more about the project, including information about partner organizations and collaborative projects at: https://nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/explore/series-and-festivals/bandwagon