Introduction

The symphony orchestra has always been a powerful cultural medium. As a symbol pre-dominantly representing Western culture, the orchestra simultaneously marks and crosses geopolitical boundaries. Indeed, it appears to be the symphony orchestra itself, and not primarily its music, that is considered a cultural institution of an almost transcendent stature. Clearly, the symphony orchestra possesses the utterly convenient ability to survive disruptions in its surroundings. The empirical study investigates how specific actions, tactics and strategies employed by symphony orchestras translate to programming policies, and how these actions relate to the sector’s dominant logic. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.