Focus Group Q and A Session By Pav Johal

Why I held this focus group?

• I held this focus group because there were certain aspects of the magazine itself that I was unsure of, so the focus group allowed me to concentrate on getting the information that I needed/wanted to know. The focus group was an overall success as it allowed me to have a deeper understanding of what some people who may buy the magazine want from a classical music magazine.

People who attended the focus group…

• Stewart Garside

• Chris Small

• Emily Iles

• Molly Preston

People who weren’t present at the Focus Group…• Hannah Roberts

• Hanif Ladha

• Ross Martin

Q1. What composer would you say you like the most out of the following? Please specify the reason as to why as well

Bach - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JQm5aSjX6gMozart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb0UmrCXxVABeethoven - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fFHeTX70QTchaikovsky - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WWz2DSnT8Vivaldi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6NRLYUThrYCherubini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAZTLDfZvdU

• Stewart Garside: “Vivaldi was the best, as he was less turgid and less of a doom laden start to the morning than the others.”

• Molly Preston: “Vivaldi was the one I like, this is because I love Vivaldi’s four seasons”• Emily Iles: “I like Tchaikovsky because I like the sound of Symphony No. 5” • Chris Small: “The composer I would say I like most out of your selection is Beethoven. I

am a big fan of how Beethoven composed large symphonic works for orchestra, and how this changed over time. He became very ill towards the end of his life, and this effected how he wrote. Yet, some of his finest compositions came late in his life. The sounds he created through the use of an orchestra were amazing. He was a pioneer of Orchestral writing, in my opinion. To start to lose his hearing at the age of 26, and to still compose 9 symphonies, 5 concertos, 32 piano sonatas and 16 string quartets is really fascinating for me.”

Q2. Describe a person who you think will buy a classical music magazine? (personality, wealth, class even go as far as appearance if you want etc...)

• Stewart Garside: “ I expect it to be bought by somebody with a beard and very few friends.”

• Molly Preston: “A young musician who plays an instrument such as the flute or violin, or a higher (not highest) class person who enjoys classical music as their interests, or anyone who plays an instrument (except things like drums and electric guitars), or anyone interested in classical music ”

• Emily Iles: “I think that they would be more elder as classical music was more popular in the olden days rather than now.”

• Chris Small: “I imagine students who study classical music in Education or Further Education may buy this magazine. Certainly, I would expect libraries to purchase magazines like this, to enable archive material. If a member of society walked into a shop to buy one, I would expect them to be middle class, with a well paid job, have a knowledge of classical music and to look well presented. My opinion is that a classical music magazine is very specific. People who know about it, will buy it. It isn’t the sort of magazine you pick up if you know nothing about the subject.”

Q3. In a classical music magazine, would you expect a composer or a band to be the main feature of that particular issue? Give a reason for your answer.

• Stewart Garside: “ I would expect the main feature to be a composer.”

• Molly Preston: “A composer, as they are more associated with classical music in my opinion”

• Emily Iles: “I think people will want to find out about different people each week and this could be a main subject of the magazine, so I think a composer in general.”

• Chris Small: “I would expect a feature on the person, composer or ensemble that is shown on the cover. A main feature or the headline topic is why we pick any magazine up. To read about that story. I think this is very important. It draws us in as consumers.”

Q4. What do you think is more important to you personally, the price of the magazine or the contents of the magazine?

• Stewart Garside: “The price and the content are equally as important; If I would only want to read the article that relates to the front cover focus I would only want to pay for that section. I.e - 2 pages.”

• Molly Preston: “The contents”

• Emily Iles: “The content of the magazine as people who are truly interested in classical music will buy it due to the content. You would not buy a magazine if the contents is not interesting or is not something that interest you. However I do think that the price can play an important part in the magazines success.”

• Chris Small: “I think the price and the content link. I am friends with people who think classic music magazines are to expensive. However, you do get a CD of classical music with every issue of most classical music magazines. That for me makes it worth while. I wouldn’t be happy spending a lot of money on a magazine like that, if it didn’t have listening material included, which allows me to link what I am reading to what I am listening.”