I've been doing some reading in the flourishing music-marketing blog world, and the thing lots of people are tossing around right now is just that: how can we improve the traditional classical concert experience? 

I'm Not Saying Anything, I'm Just Saying thinks concerts ought to be

1. Shorter
2. Earlier
3. Not just full symphony - mixed up with chamber music and solo works
4. Presented less formally for both audience (why be nervous about clapping?) and the musicians (tuxedos are out)

Here's what they think over at Proper Discord:

1. If you have to build to concert hall a ten minute walk from the sketchiest public transport stop in town, then plan your car park in a way that takes into account the fact that everybody will want to leave at the same time.
2. If there is a reason why people without tickets can't be allowed into the bar, then give me my program while I'm waiting in the will-call line.
3. Put in twice as many toilets for the ladies. Just do it. Life will be better.
4. Have the orchestra make a proper entrance. This is a performance, people. Try to at least look like you give a crap.
5. If you have no intention of playing a piece properly, cut it from the program and start the whole thing an hour later. Then we can eat a proper dinner, won't need an interval to pee, and won't be too bored to stay for the Q&A. We might even stay for a drink at the bar afterwards.

I think:

Concerts could benefit from being more varied - I love the idea of chamber music and solo works being performed. I also think that starting at an earlier or later time could be great - start at 7, finished at 9, still time for late dinner? Start at 9, and there's time for dinner beforehand. Here's a radical and unlikely-to-ever-happen idea: two hour-or-so-long concerts, one that starts at 7, one that starts at 9 in an evening. (So we cover the awkward-start-time/concert-too-long thing all at once! 2 birds, 1 stone!) I don't think this works well with musicians' union standards, though.

If people need to arrive early to pick up their tickets, there should be a more concerted effort for entertainment in the waiting-areas: the lobby before the concert, the hall before the concert, intermission. This could be accomplished with reading material, student chamber groups (granted, we do some of this at the KWS), giant dancing pandas.   

How about, too, more interaction with the stage: I had a patron suggest a seating map to go in the programs or to be picked up in the lobby showing which musician sits where. Might lead to a "oh, what's that solo I just heard, it was coming from that section, must have been a bassoon! Must have been Cedric Coleman!" sort of connection. Get-to-know-you from the audience, right?

Other ideas?