Support Spokane Arts’ work to foster creativity & culture in our region for years to come by donating today! Your gift of any amount helps us continue impactful programs, public art projects, and direct granting to artists, arts organizations, & creative businesses! Learn more about all the ways to support here!

Grantee: The Spokane Symphony

Project Title: The M Show - Music, Mayhem and Mystery with Mateusz Wolski
Year awarded: 2017, Round 2

Funding from SAGA supports “The M Show – Music, Mayhem and Mystery,” a new show designed to generate younger audiences for live symphonic music. The Spokane Symphony’s concertmaster, violinist Mateusz Wolski, uses humor and his fascination with fast cars to introduce musical discussions, guests, and performances at alternative local venues.  The M Show is a quirky and fun interactive experience for all. Through a variety of venues offered at local breweries and restaurants throughout the city, the M Show will combine live orchestral music along with 2-minute pre-recorded videos that engage and encourage participation from the audience. Think classical virtuoso meets late night comedy. Nancy Hunnicutt of the Symphony wrote in the grant application, “Audiences will enjoy performances by guest musicians and have an opportunity to participate in discussions on music.” Video segments of the M Show focus on Matuesz Wolski conducting a series of musical challenges and experiments, comparing such factors as musical quality, speed, handling, practicality, and reliability—similar to what you might find on TopGear, or MythBusters.

WITH SAGA SUPPORT

SAGA funding has helped the Spokane Symphony to lure younger generations to a venue that provides a significantly different takeaway than a typical evening spent at the Symphony. As symphonies around the country struggle to attract—and retain—millennial audiences, the Spokane Symphony has used SAGA funding to create and market this orchestral nightlife program to reach approximately 200 attendees per show.