Small audience, good discussion. I was very struck with the passion that began to come out. This subject — the future of classical music — gets people going. It doesn’t only stir up peoples’ love of music; it stirs up everything they care about in current culture.
So one woman got up and passionately said it was “naive” to think that a more informal presentation could attract newcomers to classical music .The music’s too complex for that, she said. Someone else declaimed for some time on the theme that popular culture makes everybody passive. Someone else, who loves popular culture, thinks that it’s badly degenerated since the old days.
Everyone who’s read me here knows I disagree with all these thoughts. But I honor the people who voiced them. They deeply, deeply care.


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...