I can see that I’ll be finding fault a lot with the classical music business. That’s part of moving toward the future; we have to clear away some of what’s going on now.
And I’m not the only one who feels that way. Last night I had dinner with someone who runs a classical music institution, who said — about the entire field, but especially orchestras — “We’re just starting to open our eyes.” This isn’t someone with a radical reputation; the group in question is best known for fine performances of standard repertoire.
And here’s a proposal that’s been talked about inside this group: Maybe the musicians, when they stand up to take their bows, should look at the audience and smile. There you have a snapshot of where things stand in classical music. A simple, almost elementary idea, something taken for granted in any other performing art, comes off as a surprising innovation.


Recent Comments
Greg Sandow on Good news from Toronto
Thanks! It's wonderful to have this corroboration. I'm sure Peter Oundjian is a crucial part of the Symphony's success.Greg Sandow on Philharmonic clarification
Christina, when the Philharmonic played in Lewisohn Stadium, they didn't have any marketing department. Or any corporate sponsors. Those things...D Shapiro on Good news from Toronto
As a subscriber, and a parent of a 29-year-old, I can provide a little insight. My daughter is fairly typical...Christina Jensen on Philharmonic clarification
If that is true, it's unlikely any publicists were involved, but rather marketing departments and corporate sponsorship folks. http://nyphil.org/support/corporate_benefits.cfmJon Silpayamanant on Good news from Toronto
Some classical music institutions attract a young audience by lowering ticket prices, but then they need funding to offset the...