As a guest representing Making Music, it was a delight to join this very friendly chorus for the day and to be guided through the work by NLC patron...
Ian Stewart, Secretary of promoter group Howdenshire Music, talks about how his group overhauled the way they do concerts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
Howdenshire Music was established in 2018 with the vision of bringing classical music to local communities, particularly through free lunchtime concerts at Howden Minster, a Grade II-listed venue. This initiative was spearheaded by Steven Goulden, a professional tenor with deep ties to Howden, and Amy Butler, a professional pianist. The initial aim was to provide live music to audiences who may have had limited opportunities to enjoy classical performances, such as older adults, families with young children, and individuals working during typical concert hours. The focus was also on breaking the misconception of classical music being elitist or exclusive by fostering a welcoming and informal concert experience.
Our first successful trial concert was held in October 2018, followed by a taster season in 2019 of six concerts. Encouraged by its success, Steven and Amy set up a meeting with Philip Mepham, Rosemary and Ian Stewart, and the full committee was formed in Oct 2019. While in the early days we were supported by local businesses and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, in 2021 we became a registered charity, and the benefit of tax reliefs like Gift Aid on donations became a valuable part of our fundraising efforts.
The challenge
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 posed one of the greatest challenges to Howdenshire Music. Public health restrictions, social distancing measures, and lockdowns meant that in-person concerts had to be suspended, threatening our nascent organisation’s core mission of bringing people together through music. These restrictions led to the cancellation of many planned events, and there was significant uncertainty about when, or if, normal operations could resume.
In addition to the operational challenges brought on by the pandemic, there were also financial concerns. The reduced ability to hold physical events impacted potential donations and income from grant funders who preferred projects with community gatherings. Maintaining audience interest without regular live events also emerged as a significant hurdle. Audience engagement, especially for a local initiative relying on face-to-face interaction, was at risk of dwindling, which could have had long-term consequences for our organisation.
'The committee, primarily experienced in event organisation rather than technology, had to adapt quickly to unfamiliar audio-visual recording and broadcasting techniques, and the learning curve was steep.'
Having to transition to online platforms came with its own set of challenges. The committee, primarily experienced in event organisation rather than technology, had to adapt quickly to unfamiliar audio-visual recording and broadcasting techniques, and the learning curve was steep. Also on technology, we were faced with the increased use of social media for advertising and booking events, and we had to keep up with emerging methods of engaging and communicating with audiences, like offering electronic tickets and accepting non-cash donations.
Lastly, to match our ambitions of performing high-quality music and attracting classical musicians, we needed a piano that met that standard. Early on we relied on borrowing Steven's 100-year-old piano, but we needed to find an instrument that was just for Howdenshire Music.
What we did
Digital overhaul
To overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic, we made a strategic decision to pivot to digital platforms. Recognising the need to stay connected with our audience and to keep classical music accessible, we began broadcasting concerts on YouTube and Facebook. The committee invested in audio-visual equipment to enable high-quality recordings, and invited musicians to perform in empty venues, with concerts shared online for global audiences. These initiatives proved highly successful, with several performances receiving thousands of views and broadening our reach beyond the local community. For example, a performance by Julian Jacobson, an acclaimed pianist, garnered over 10,000 views online, showcasing the potential of digital engagement.
Another major innovation was the introduction of an online booking system, which allowed us to manage audience attendance effectively and safely under social distancing restrictions. This system also helped to grow our mailing list, ensuring ongoing engagement with our audience members.
We further expanded our technical capabilities by investing in professional lighting and staging to improve the concert experience, and engaged audiovisual engineer Steve Brookfield to advise us and handle the technical aspects of recording and streaming, freeing up committee members from these responsibilities. These improvements allowed for a higher quality of concert presentation, both for live audiences (once we went back to in-person events) and those viewing online. Steve has been invaluable to the success of our group.
'The committee invested in audio-visual equipment to enable high-quality recordings, and invited musicians to perform in empty venues, with concerts shared online for global audiences.'
First-class piano
To resolve the need for a first-class piano, Steven carefully researched the market and contacted a Vienna-based piano company called Feurich, which offered us an attractive price for a grand piano. So Steven, Amy and John Tordoff (our piano technician), visited the company’s UK showroom in early 2020. As lockdown restrictions eased up in July 2020 and we were again permitted to record concerts, we asked Feurich to loan us a piano until December. We received a Feurich 218 that had been selected by the eminent concert technician Peter Salisbury, and our first recording on this piano was by Graziana Presicce, an Italian pianist.
Howdenshire Music was delighted with the piano and wanted to own it outright, so we decided to try crowdfunding to see if we could raise sufficient funds to buy it. We launched the Howdenshire Grand Piano Appeal on JustGiving, and had Steven talk about the important of this project in a YouTube video, plus extensive social media and email marketing. By December 2020 we had raised £18,000 and purchased the piano outright. As we resumed in-person concerts in May 2021 - albeit under strict social distancing guidelines - we reintroduced our free monthly lunchtime concert series, which helped us re-engage with the community. We celebrated our new Feurich piano by holding a Piano Day event in October 2021, featuring four concerts and refreshments provided by a local café, creating a full-day experience for attendees and supporting local businesses.
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason performing in Howden Minster on the Feurich 218 grand piano. Photo credit: Steve Brookfield
Expanded offerings
In 2022 and 2023, Howdenshire Music expanded its programming - we presented not only the traditional lunchtime concerts but also weekend gala events, special themed concerts, and educational outreach initiatives. For instance, we organised school outreach workshops, allowing children from local schools to experience live classical music and learn directly from musicians. The Springboard Sessions, introduced in 2023, offered young professional musicians the opportunity to create high-quality video recordings for their portfolios, fulfilling the organisation’s goal of nurturing emerging talent. We also hosted a special event to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, commissioning a new work by a young composer, thus contributing to the development of new classical music repertoire.
Financially, Howdenshire Music maintained stability through a combination of grants from organisations such as Arts Council England, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, and several charitable trusts, alongside generous individual donations from concert attendees. The newly acquired charity status enabled us to maximise these donations through Gift Aid claims. Local businesses, particularly those providing refreshments during events, also benefited from the increased footfall on concert days, underscoring the project’s positive economic impact on the community.
What we learned
The journey through the challenges of the pandemic offered several key lessons for us.
The shift to digital platforms highlighted the importance of adaptability and innovation. By moving concerts online, we not only retained our existing audience but also reached a much broader demographic, including international viewers. Combined with the successful introduction of an online booking system, this proved to us the value of technology in logistics and of a hybrid concert model (live events/digital broadcasts).
Digital media and traditional press have both been used successfully to advertise concert, with a combination of printed flyers, emails, local press, Facebook, Instagram, X and various concert directories. Howdenshire Music has over 800 people on the mailing list, 834 followers on Facebook and 510 YouTube subscribers. This has led to an impressive average live audience of 191 during the 10 concerts in the March to September 2024 concerts.
Financially, we learned the importance of diversifying income streams, by combining grants, individual donations, Gift Aid and collaborations with local businesses. A successful crowdfunding campaign led to us owning our piano, which in return attracts world-class musicians, many of whom are eager to return for future performances.
The Howdenshire Music committee (from top left, clockwise): Steven Goulden (Chair), Ian Stewart (Secretary), Rosemary Stewart (Volunteer Coordinator and Safeguarding Officer), Amy Butler (Publicity and Design) and Philip Mepham (Treasurer). Photo credit: Steve Brookfield
By investing in community partnerships, we were able to continue our operations despite the challenges faced - this included stakeholders like Feurich but also people like our audiovisual engineer. The introduction of school workshops and Springboard Sessions, which provided young people with valuable opportunities for learning and professional development, also contributed to our broader mission of adding to the cultural fabric of the community. We're also committed to increase accessibility in the arts, by keeping concerts free and ensuring that events were inclusive of everyone.
As we look towards 2025, with a packed calendar of concerts, community events, and educational initiatives, HM stands as a vibrant example of how arts organisations can adapt to changing circumstances while remaining true to our mission. Our ability to innovate and connect with audiences - both in person and online- ensures that we will continue to bring the joy and healing power of classical music to East Yorkshire for many years to come.
Find out more about Howdenshire Music on their website and follow them on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube
We hope you find this Making Music resource useful. If you have any comments or suggestions about the guidance please contact us. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the content of this guidance is accurate and up to date, Making Music do not warrant, nor accept any liability or responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of the content, or for any loss which may arise from reliance on the information contained in it.
