As a composer, performer, and educator, I am constantly concerned with the future of art music. A recent newspaper article about the Pittsburgh Symphony budget deficit is the impetus for this posting. The article mentioned a deficit of $500,000 or more for the 2004-05 season and attributed the deficit to lower than expected ticket sales for the classical subscription series. Ticket sales for the classical subscription series have grown only 2% over the past 22 years while ticket sales for the pops concerts have grown 8%. In my opinion, this is reflective of three national trends that I feel need to be addressed.

Because of outside influences, music education in our schools has been watered down. In an effort to be more inclusive, classroom music, music ensembles, and college music courses for the general student have indirectly equated vernacular music and art music. There is nothing wrong with being inclusive, but I feel it is the music teacher’s responsibility to point out the similarities and differences between vernacular music and art music. Each offers its own rewards, but art music involves more understanding of musical elements and their relationships, and therefore functions on a higher intellectual plane. I feel it is the educator’s responsibility to help the student grow in the intellectual understanding of music and not succumb to pressure from administration, parents and students by allowing vernacular music to be equated with art music.

Most performers display a lack of interest in music being written by living composers. Unfortunately, the trends of composition in the middle and late 20th century contributed greatly to this problem. However, performers should realize that there are many composers writing art music that is accessible to both performers and listeners as it is based on the traditions established prior to the mid- 20th century. John Winsor, in his book "Breaking the Sound Barrier: An Argument for Mainstream Literary Music", makes a wonderful case explaining why music went astray in the mid-20th century. I feel his book is a "must read" for any educator, performer or composer. A way for performers to show their audiences that music composition is an art that is still alive and vital is to include a recent composition composed in a "mainstream literary music" style on every program.

Many of today’s composers emphasize intellectualism and innovation over perceivable craft. There is nothing wrong with innovation except that it has become an end within itself. Intellectualism and innovation are rewarded through composition contest prizes and grants that are judged by other composers, therefore perpetuating a style of music that is no longer accessible to both performers and audiences. I would like to quote from the final chapter of my book "A Composer’s Guide to Understanding Music with Activities for Listeners, Interpreters, and Composers" regarding composing trends. "Throughout musical history, the balance between the classic (of the mind) and romantic (of the heart) modes of thinking has alternated. The center of the pendulum can be thought of as equal treatment intellectualism and emotionalism. The pendulum swings that occurred prior to the twentieth century have not eliminated the other mode of thought. They have just changed the emphasis. During the early to mid-twentieth century, the swing towards classicism went to extremes by over emphasizing the intellectualism and rejected anything associated with emotionalism. The composer, Igor Stravinsky, stated that "music is powerless to express anything at all". He later retracted that statement, but it clearly illustrates the rejection of emotionalism in music. The intellectualism that dominated much of twentieth century music, and still exists today, has been a contributing factor to alienating audiences and performers from new music. The majority of the relationships between unity and variety are mostly perceivable through in-depth score study, rather than by active or passive listening."

Educators, performers and composers must work together to ensure the future of art music. I welcome your feedback regarding my comments and invite you to visit my web site at http://cooppress.hostrack.net to learn about the programs that Co-op Press has established to encourage partnerships between composer, performer and audience.

Dr. Sy Brandon
Professor Emeritus
Millersville University of Pennsylvania

It amuses me when anyone attempts to define or qualify art with absolute terms and conditions. Save us from the "intellectuals".

Do you suppose he thinks this qualifies as "publishing" in the "publish or perish" requirement?

Actually I found this a very interesting and truthful post. The classical music buisness is losing interesting and it`s very depressing to me.

classical music will always be the foundation of all other music.

"Classical" music wasn`t the first music, so it couldn`t possibly be the foundation. Music is music and nothing elevates one type above another except personal taste. In spite of the academic grandstanding, it`s just a pompous attempt to attempt to portray one`s personal tastes as more signifigant than someone else`s. If I like the sound of dogs barking "Jingle Bells" more than Strauss, there`s no objective argument that can discredit that; no more than why I choose chicken over pork chops. Some people love the image of everyone seeing them like classical music, but it`s just posturing. Not that there`s anything wrong with liking classical music the most, just with the arrogance of thinking it makes you musically elite.

I think that Snotjello makes a really good point, yet it is worrying that people are loosing interest in classical music, and when you see how many children can play an instrument well but then give it up for one reason or another, it does make you think about how many people will continue with their music as a career, part time or full time, or just as a hobbie.

I agree with Kym. It is not about one kind of music being better than another. It is about one significant form of music being in danger.

In the US at least music isn`t typically supported in the schools anymore, and that is usually the first place that kids are introduced to classical music and playing an instrument. As a society the US doesn`t seem to think music is an important part of a well rounded education anymore, and I think that is a real loss for our culture.

I don`t know what it is like in other western countries and their school systems, but if it is anything like the US then classical music is in serious trouble. It may not be the foundation of music, but it is a significant part, and influence on, Western music as a whole.

classical music has gone, in the last hundred years, from being the dominant genre to being a minority in an increasingly crowded marketplace. It`s not so much a case of being in danger, as having to shout more to be heard. that said, children should and indeed must be taught about classical music. Too often kids take the easy option of playing popular music because it is less emotionally/ stylistically and technically challenging than classical (as a rule obviously, this isn`t gospel). This isn`t always kids` fault, the resources available to teach music are not good nowadays and as a result kids can`t learn properly.

Having made the case for classical, I still believe that we should cultivate an interest in all music, pop, rock, folk, malaysian throat singing. Everything has some value (except perhaps rap, but that`s my objective point of view!)

Unfortunately, another effect of our current culture, is the sense that any of the Arts, are not perceived as viable careers. Are we slipping into the thought that if a career does not generate near immediate wealth and/or fame, is it worth doing. When full orchestras are replaced with recordings, not because the musicians weren`t available, but to "save" money, how does that help the arts. Other Arts are in danger of becoming "product" or marketing, ripped out of the context that created the Art, and reversed. My favorite is Punk Rock being used to push luxury items. If monetary value is the only one that counts, what a souless culture we`ve become.

As someone who makes a living in the arts (visual) I agree that they should be recognized as viable career choices. However, I think they should be realistically depicted as extremely difficult to make a living in. So much is about trendiness and appreciation, and one is entitled to neither.