Audi hosts youth choir summer concerts to engage potential consumers

German automaker Audi AG is presenting a new conductor, Kent Nagano, for the Vorsprung Festival which will be part of the brand's Summer Concerts series in its country of origin.

The Summer Concerts series have been an active part of Audi’s cultural affairs office in Germany for about 25 years and the annual event draws people from the brand’s home country to engage with the local company. With the addition of Mr. Nagano, an American conductor who has performed worldwide, the brand will likely spark international awareness in the musical community and beyond.

“Kent Nagano is very present in international scenes,” said Lena Hoppe, cultural spokeswoman of Audi AG, Ingolstadt, Germany.

“The whole thing was developed in collaboration with Nagano and with the youth choir that has been around since 2007,” she said. “This youth choir was founded by our head of cultural affairs and this project really focuses on nurturing young talents, which is a main objective of the Audi cultural affairs office.”

Summer series
Audi literally translates to "listen" in Latin, a concept that has been translated over to the musical projects within the brand’s home country. The Audi Philharmonic Wind Orchestra, Audi Summer Concerts and the Youth Choir Academy all represent the automaker’s dedication to music.

The Vorsprung Festival is a new series that will add five concerts to the Audi Summer Concerts agenda. The new series will focus primarily on the two performances with the Audi Youth Choir Academy, a choir of 90 young people.

Kent Nagano will conduct the Vorsprung Festival

The youth choir will have the opportunity to speak with musicians from the other concerts and with Mr. Nagano following one of the events. The goal of the Vorsprung Festival is that talented young people can meet internationally renowned artists and learn about the community and careers in music.

Vorsprung Festival is scheduled to be part of the summer concerts until 2016, meaning the festival and Nagano will be around next year for the 25th anniversary of the concerts.

Summer concert in 2013

“We are in a lucky situation that next year we can also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Audi Summer Concerts,” Ms. Hoppe said. “We are planning on inviting the public to be involved with the concerts.”

The concert series began June 25 and will continue through the summer.

Young artists

Audi's concerts have been a part of summer activities for the people of Inglostadt for years, but with the addition of Nagano, the brand hopes to expand awareness of its dedication to music, especially for younger generations.

Other brands have emerged their brand names into sparking talent among young artists to engage younger generations with the brand.

For example, Italian fashion house Gucci attracted young consumers through its Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund that was giving students in China, Britain and Japan a chance to participate in the Grammy Awards Foundation 2013 Grammy Camp in New York and Los Angeles.

This initiative was part of Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund’s three-year partnership with The Recording Academy. Gucci was likely aiming to draw in younger consumers with its music-themed, charity partnerships (see story).

Also, Toyota Corp. brand Lexus upped its commitment to artistic innovation by expanding the “Life is Amazing” short film series.

The series comprised the work of multiple rising filmmakers and writers and was screened throughout the summer at various film festivals around the world. The brand’s continued efforts to align itself with the art world has likely resonated with consumers who appreciate innovation (see story).

Embracing art demonstrates a brand’s dedication to innovation and the talents of its consumers. Art projects create a way for a brand to spread its name and embrace local and international talents.

“The Audi Summer Concerts have been part of the musical scene for a little less than 25 years and we have a large group of regular audience members,” Ms. Hoppe said.

“With Nagano we hope to draw people from this area, all of Germany and maybe even abroad,” she said. “We are interested in making the public engaged with the concerts.

“This year we have a public talk after the concert where Nagano will engage in conversation with the musicians. This will be a forum that will let our concert-goers engage with the music talents.”

Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York