reposting - 30 Things That Won't Save Classical Music

If you labor in the industry end of classical music, as I do and as most of us do in some way or another, you're no doubt familiar with the "save classical music" trope. I'm profoundly irritated by it, though perhaps it has abated somewhat over the last few years. But every new survey that shows a dire "aging" in the classical music audience is a gateway to public handwringing over the state of affairs. Either that, or it's a call for the NEW version of "save classical music", which disguises its belief that the music needs "saving" in a cleverly designed cloak of optimism.

I call this new version

"breaking-down-barriers is the new classical-music-is-dying".

Think about it. How many new ensembles, concert series, venues have launched in the last five years who include in their mission statements a commitment to "breaking down barriers"? In practice, this often means something like "not performed in a concert hall" (concert halls are, presumably, a "barrier"); serving beer (sobriety, or drinking before a concert, also presumably "barriers"); not requiring or requesting silence during the performance (listening to the music presumably...a "barrier"?) And I don't discount any of these possibilities in and of themselves! I've produced concerts in a bar, more than once and very happily. But I'd like to see that become one option among many, ie, if you want to put on a concert, you can rent a hall, or do it in your living room, or in a bar, or a gallery, or WHEREVER - without having to make some grandiose claim about barriers or - worse - salvation. Enough already!

So, rant du jour complete. Here's a link to a very smart and funny list of 30 things that won't save classical music. Enjoy.

http://properdiscord.com/2010/03/08/30-things-that-wont-save-classical-music/