THE
THEATRE & CONCERT PROGRAM:
ephemera or vital record?
By
Paul Bentley
[Scheduled 2007]
Key
words
Performing arts; records management; program; programme
Summary
A comprehensive program collection is an essential form of
business record in any performing arts organisation and a central resource in
libraries and other collections documenting the performing arts.
Such a collection provides
basic information on the location, date and personnel involved in particular
productions and performances.
It also provides
biographical details, program notes, illustrations of sets and costumes,
photographs of performers, the duration of performances, the number of people
likely to be attracted to them, the cost of admission and information on rival
attractions and forthcoming productions.
According to Sydney music
critic, Fred Blanks - writing about concert program - a collection may be
used to:
- analyse the concert repertoire
of any particular time and changes to repertoire over any period
- assess changes to the format of programs
- assess the results of musicological developments
(eg the early music movement on music events)
- examine the actual performance repertoire
of individual composers;
- analyse, say, Australian music content
in music programs
- gain insight into musical taste and popularity
with reference to particular composers and particular works
- examine the performance life and predilections
of local performers,
- investigate whether particular works have been
performed
- as
a starting point for library searches
and other investigations into various aspects of music events.
A
history of the program, description of program collections in Australian
repositories and assessment of the impact of technology on program management
will be published on the site soon.
