tmg_userstudy

= USER STUDY =

=**Interview Questions for Space Users**=

What types of people are using this space, and what are their needs. Also, what are the potential capabilities of the space?
 * Goal / Main Objective **

 =Interview Questions for Tamara Bernstein (TMG)=
 * Questions **
 * 1) Why do you think having a performance in this location is important?
 * 2) What is your reaction to a performance such as this?
 * 3) Would attend a performance like this future? and why?
 * 4) Keeping in mind that the Toronto Music Garden is sacred venue. What kind of music would more attract you in this environment?
 * 5) What drew you to this particular location?
 * 6) How has your idea of public spaces changed since going to the performance?
 * 7) What differences and similarities to you see between the TMG performances and Nuit Blanche?
 * 8) Tamara Bernstein, the curator for the TMG performances has described these performances as "Temporary Communities", why is this important to preserve?
 * 1) Briefly describe your role as a curator and host for the Toronto Music Garden? Is your position seasonal? Winter?
 * 2) Are there similar public spaces that you know of that are doing the same thing?
 * 3) How important is it to continue to hold these performances and why?
 * 4) Do you think the space is under used?
 * 5) What are the requirements of the performers? Auditions?
 * 6) What is the process like when organizing a performance?
 * 7) What have you learned about the audience in conducting these performances
 * 8) What have you noticed about the audience members throughout your time as curator/host?
 * 9) Have you considered a wider range of performances?
 * 10) Would you structure the performances differently to include a wider range of performances?

= = =User Study Documentation Videos= =media type="youtube" key="xXbHq7ccc0U" height="340" width="560"= = Tamara Bernstein Interview: A Temporary Community = =media type="youtube" key="aQIB4KYDNqM" height="340" width="560"= = Tamara Bernstein Interview: The Importance of The Toronto Music Garden = media type="youtube" key="YG-mNM6HNFk" height="340" width="560" Zombie March: Participants preparing their zombie make-up for the march

=User Interviews: Information of importance=

Interviewee #1 (Age: 18-25)

 * He is new to the area. He used to live on Yonge/Finch
 * The space is a lot quieter compared to his old neighborhood, and a sort of attraction - He doesn't know about the Music Garden as a performance space, but as a **nice place to walk the dog** -- Maybe a good place to take a date.
 * He thinks the space is aimed/intended for the people living here (local residents)
 * If there was a performance, **h****e would probably stop by and listen** if he was passing by
 * Usually listens to Hip Hop, but classic music is okay
 * A participant of DJ and rave festivals (a different type of outdoor performance)
 * Hip Hop doesn't fit in to the Music Garden's atmosphere, but a more busier space - **He would visit these type of performance with friends**, definitely not family members.

Interviewee #2 & 3 (Age: 35-45) - Share a common POV Both hand-bell musicians checking out the space

 * It is a creative space and feels like music
 * Is **peaceful**, inspite of some background noise
 * It's important to have a space like this in Toronto because it allows people to **escape** from city life
 * Thinks that there is room for drummers and ethnic music
 * **Expanding the garden** (area-wise) would be nice
 * Uses e-mail and facebook, found out about the Music Garden through the internet - Toronto would benefit having more similar types of places
 * Performed in Nathan Phillips Square before
 * **People usually listen to hand bells in the winter, so it would be great if they can add that to the Music Garden program**
 * The audience doesn't really notice errors during outdoor performances
 * Precipitation and wind are the only problems for outdoor performances

Interviewee #4 The organizer of the Zombie Walk

 * Started the event through interests of friends (Gamers)
 * Promoted the event through flyers
 * Zombies are **social monsters, they are a group with no discrimination** - "Anyone can be a zombie" (incorporation of everyone in the public)
 * Audience encourages the zombies (the performers) to attack them
 * Audience that are afraid usually leave before they get to them
 * It is an important event because it is **a western way of celebrating of the dead**

**"A common, yet at the same time, very individualized experience"**


**"forcing different types of responses to each exhibit"**



 * It is important because the TMG creates an environment of expectation to experience music as an art form in an unconventional setting. The design/architecture of the TMG evokes a feeling of being engulfed in the musical performance, creating an epic atmosphere. This would be ill achieved in any other venue or through another medium.
 * In addition, this location allows people of ** diverse backgrounds and socio-economic ** **status** to come together and equally partake in the experience.

//Would you attend a performance like this in the future? Why?//
 * A performance in a space such as this is extremely conducive to feeling a sense of relaxation and serenity. I very much enjoyed the performance overall. This was my first time attending a TMG performance and had I had any expectations, they certainly were exceeded. The music was lively and deep with diminuendos and crescendos, bringing the surrounding space to life. The performance itself, held anywhere, else may have been just as good however, due to the ambiance created by the TMG the overall experience was enhanced, and therefore so was my reaction.


 * Yes I would most certainly attend another such performance because it was such a unique experience. The TMG is a great place for ** people of all walks of life to gather, at no cost to them, and enjoy the interaction between one another. ** Furthermore, one has the opportunity to be exposed to different genres of music and participate in the experience of musical education.


 * To better answer this question perhaps I can discuss what may repel me from an environment such as the TMG. I would think that a genre such as hard rock would be disruptive to the ambiance created by the garden itself, therefore taking away from the overall experience. Soulful and less abrasive genres of music (jazz, classical, etc.) seem more **in-line with the intended environment and design of the TMG.**


 * I believe that the idea of having such a secluded, peaceful garden within a bustling metropolis such as Toronto is what initially drew me to this particular location. I was intrigued by the idea of a sound garden in general. I enjoyed the sense of **escapism** and relished the opportunity to watch a performance in such a location.


 * I think my idea of public spaces was only enhanced by this experience. I was already fond of public spaces, however now I have discovered that these spaces can offer more than just an actual, physical space. As an example, the TMG, in particular, sets you up for an experience, unlike other parks, because of its overall design and architecture. Its design creates a **natural outdoor amphitheatre**, where one expects a performance, which already sets it apart from any other park in Toronto,.
 * I have now realized that public spaces are **not just about the space itself, but what can be done within that space**, and what experience an individual may have within it.


 * In terms of similarities, both events take place in a public space, openly available for anyone to participate in. It is then up to each individual **participant to define their own experience** and decide whether, overall, it was positive or negative for them.
 * To reiterate what I had mentioned before, the events offered in public spaces encourage people of diverse backgrounds to come together and **share a common, yet at the same time, very individualized experience.**
 * As for differences, the Nuit Blanche exhibits themselves are all very different and unique. Each particular exhibit is meant to evoke different thoughts and emotions, depending on what the exhibit is. By contrast, at the TMG one almost expects a musical performance of some kind, so **the experience is already defined** for you to some extent due to the design and the preconceived purpose of this public space. It is then the audience members that project their own thoughts and preconceptions onto the performance itself.
 * The TMG is more conducive to setting, listening and absorbing the performance, whereas **Nuit Blanche involves more of an active participation** in walking around from one physical location to another, forcing different types of responses to each exhibit.

//Tamara Bernstein, the curator for the TMG performances has described these performances as Temporary Communities. Why is this important to preserve?//


 * It is important to preserve Temporary Communities because these communities are **an important means to fostering meaningful relationships between people** who otherwise may not have met or interacted.

Interviewee #6 (Age: 18-25)

 * She lives in North York
 * She comes to the garden because:
 * it is close to Harbourfront (near water)
 * the design of the plants and flowers in the garden
 * She has never seen the performances in the garden.
 * She doesn't know if she wants to see the performances in the future because she lives too far, and **she doesn't know if the performances are worth going (whether the musicians are good or not)**
 * She said if there are reviews available online, she would definitely check them out
 * She listens to pop music
 * She is officially grade 4 in piano, but she said her skills are actually much higher (she didn't bother taking any exams)
 * Her knew of the garden from a friend from OCAD

Interviewee #7 (Age: 18-25)

 * She lives in Newmarket
 * She is a musician: piano and violin. (She is an English major)
 * She was attracted to the garden because:
 * she likes music
 * she thought it was cool to shape a garden according to sound
 * just for fun
 * **she likes the piece that is based on**
 * She has never seen the performances in the garden.
 * **She is not interested in the performances in the garden because she knows that it is not a great place for acoustic.**
 * **She is into large orchestras rather than small ensembles.**
 * **She thinks the performances should be "garden music"**
 * **Her definition of garden music: "background music, peaceful, which can play while people are looking at the prettiness"**
 * She does think the garden is important to Toronto public space. Her reasons:
 * It is a green space
 * It's for the arts, she likes arts, and she supports the idea of it personally
 * Sometimes people just need a break and it's a nice place for de-stressing and stuff
 * She doesn't live in the city, but if she does, she will definitely go often



= Observations from TTC Busker Musicians/Space/Riders =
 * Good location determines the success of musician's performance. The musicians are more likely to draw riders' attention and earn money in busier stations; Bloor/Yonge
 * If the musician's performance is located right beside the train waiting area, people are more likely to listen. On the other hand, people are less likely to stop if the musician's performance is located near the entrance or exit
 * Riders are more attracted to exotic/cultural instruments, whether or not they have seen/heard of the instruments before. People are less likely to stop for conventional instruments such as just an acoustic guitar.
 * People take out their cellphones to record when they see exotic/cultural/unconventional instruments. *Note: they all used cellphones cameras instead of conventional cameras
 * If people stop to listen, more people will stop to listen
 * There is no way of knowing the musician unless you talk to him/her in person. Though the musician requires a TTC permit/license in order to perform inside the subway station, it seems to me that the musicians are just an extra thing in the station, rather than something that is integrated into the TTC station space.
 * Most TTC riders ignore the musicians. Some don't even give them a glance
 * When people do give money, they don't pay for the music. They pay because they feel sorry for the musicians. eg. some guy gave money when the musician was not even playing. OR they just walk off right after they give the money.
 * People are more likely to stop for performance when they are heading home. They don't stop if they are heading to work/school.

=<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;">media type="youtube" key="xhQYUnXnyD4" height="340" width="560" = TTC Performer: An acoustic version of "Stuck in a Moment" by U2

**Misc.**
= =
 * The long deserted corridor in Spadina station. I think they can design the space in more creative ways. Currently, the long corridor has nothing in it.

= = =Analysis and Interpretation of the information=
 * All interviewees all agreed upon that Toronto Music Garden is a good place to visit
 * serenity, peaceful, relaxation, de-stressing, escapism
 * green space in a city
 * design of the garden is based on a music piece. //interesting and a good attraction//
 * a sound garden, natural amphitheater
 * a creative space
 * Most interviewees were musicians themselves
 * Having good location is important.
 * Interviewee #7 said IF she lives downtown, she will visit the garden more often
 * In TTC Busker observations, we discovered that a good location dictates the success of the busker. eg. the buskers are more likely to attract audience at Bloor/Yonge station rather than small deserted station. In addition, playing at the corridor and beside the train waiting place makes a huge difference too.
 * Multicultural spaces and participants
 * Interview #4: "anyone can be zombie, zombie is considered one group, there is no discrimination"
 * Lots of multicultural instruments in TTC stations. People are attracted and interested in these exotic instruments.
 * TMG schedules and promotes instrumental from every culture
 * Relationship powers between friends
 * Zombie walk originated from friends who share the same interest
 * Interview #7 was brought to the garden by her friend
 * Interview #2 & #3 are a couple. They came to the garden together
 * Internet technology
 * Interview #2 and #3 discovered the garden from the internet. (They both uses emails and facebooks)
 * Interview #6 will be interested in online reviews for the performing musicians beforehand
 * Zombie Walk event spread and expanded through the internet. It suddenly exploded and became a huge thing

=Design Opportunities=
 * More efficient way to promote TMG.
 * eg. through the use of internet technology, online social websites (relationship powers between friends + Zombie Walk)
 * 2 Interviewees did not know TMG host concerts in summer.
 * A channel for participants to find out more about the musicians performing in the concert
 * eg1. There is no way of knowing the buskers in TTC unless you choose to talk to him/her in person. There is no way of finding info on TTC website
 * eg2. 1 interviewee said that she will more likely to come if there are reviews online for the musicians in the concert. (Whether the musicians are worth coming to see or not)
 * Music Jam
 * Zombie walk started up through interests between friends. Most visitors in TMG are musicians. Why not start a music jam
 * Buskers musicians playing in the garden
 * People coming to the garden have more appreciation for music. They are here for music
 * Interview $7 said "background music, peaceful, which can play while people are looking at the prettiness"
 * however that takes away the serenity and peace