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Community Dialogue Part IV: How will the changing demographics of our community impact classical music?
Community Dialogue Part IV: How will the changing demographics of our community impact classical music?
Our community dialogue piece continues with new faces and opinions of the Chicago Arts Community and YOU.
Community Dialogue Part IV: How will the changing demographics of our community impact classical music?
Allan Dennis, Director, Midwest Young Artists
Demographics have always been changing. I am in LA visiting my daughter and watching the festive activities surrounding the Grand Opening of the LA Phil with Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. I wish everyone could “feel” the excitement of the week and the premiere of John Adams’ work; I wish everyone could see the barrage of advertisement; I wish everyone could see the number of Hispanic and Black people excited about this time in LA. I asked a food vendor on the street where I was purchasing fresh fruit for lunch “how do I get to Disney Hall”. He looked confused and turned to his friend - they communicated in Spanish he said “Oh, you mean Maestro DUDAMEL!” He told me step by step how to get there. Somehow that organization is relating to the general society. I hope they continue to do so.
Stephen Burns, Artistic Director, Fulcrum Point New Music Project
Make it more important for the programming to move out of Central Europe circa 1820-80 –
Duffie Adelson, Merit School of Music
One of the positive trends I have noticed over the past 20 years is the ever increasing blurring of lines between styles and genres of music that were once defined as strictly distinct. We have seen marvelous examples led by people including Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble as well as his Appalachian collaborative, and composers like Osvaldo Golijov and others. The melding of influences and styles continues to breathe fresh air and life into “classical music”, and gives us all kinds of opportunities to leverage those varied influences as points of entrée where we can entice new listeners into the fold.
Richard Van Kleeck, Northwestern University Pick-Staiger
Yes and no. Silk Road is a celebrity driven enterprise. Take away Yo-Yo and almost no one attends or cares. That is the sad truth. For the most part their music is not strong and way too biased towards the Western European format at the expense of some really beautiful Eastern/Middle Eastern and European styles. SR is mostly guys from Brooklyn. The weakest pieces of music they perform are almost always the hybrid tunes. Cross cultural experiments can work if carefully crafted, but it is very hard to bring them to successful musical fruition. Let's not confuse the warm wooly feeling of "hands across the water" with really good music.
This does not mean we cannot keep trying to create situations where good things can happen between/among a wide group of musicians and styles. More programming and less "buying" is what is needed from arts presenters. Audiences will respond to good exciting new ideas and interesting combinations of artists. Celebrities are not needed. And, if you want Appalachian music, hire an Appalachian band. There are lots of fine ensembles playing it beautifully. It does not need to be sanctified by classical musicians offering up pale semblances of the real thing.
Jim Hirsch, Executive Director, Chicago Sinfonietta
In 40 years Caucasians will be a minority population in the US. The rest should be fairly obvious.
Comments
About Dudamel
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:29pm — Jim HirschHi Jeff,
Couldn't agree with you more. I wrote a blog about Dudamel's appointment a few years ago that is somewhere on this site and, if memory serves, said many of the things you mentioned. It will be interesting to watch how the story unfolds....
Jim
The Dude
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 12:19pm — James WAlmost by accident, I happened to be present for Dudamel's CSO podium debut (including the Mahler 1) a few years ago, a few days after his LA appointment was announced. I think my original review is still lingering around this site. Yes, he's for real. Young, but always musical and jovially - but indisputably - in command of his musical forces. For all the transcendent music I've experienced in Orchestral Hall, this was some of the most exciting. Or so I thought. Then I attended the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra concert he lead there last spring. Those kids blew the roof off the place. Looking forward to seeming him and the LAP in Chicago in May.
The Audacity Of Hype
Wed, 10/28/2009 - 8:12pm — Jeff_TurkWatching "Great Performances" on PBS last week, it became clear to me that Gustavo Dudamel is certainly a core piece of the puzzle in how classical music will be presented and packaged for the cultural fabric of this country in the coming years.
I was concerned with the level of hype surrounding Dudamel’s arrival in L.A., however, after watching his inaugural concert, I think the hype is justified and exciting. To play a world premiere, John Adams’ "City Noir" and the Mahler 1st for his first official concert was pretty impressive. He is smart, engaging, young and good looking. And he is a minority (seems silly to even have to say that)... So is this an example of an organization adapting to the demographics of the community it is in? L.A. took a risk in naming this very young Venezuelan conductor Music Director and conductor - the key components being young and Venezuelan. This I believe may be the perfect storm for a renaissance in classical music – and how convenient that as Maestro of the L.A. Philharmonic, he is located in one of the major media hubs of the world. And he is here to lead the way for classical music and musicianship to enter a new era. Strong words - maybe hyped up a bit, but I do believe it is true.
What a great contrast we have in Chicago with Riccardo Muti taking charge of the CSO – not with regard to the enthusiasm of the form for which both of them share, but more so with mastery. I think that Chicago under Muti will be the best orchestra in the country – if not the world (yes – I said WORLD). While I believe Dudamel to be a fantastic musician at the young age of 28, I feel he may lack a certain depth in his performance that can only be achieved through experience. Don’t misinterpret what I say - I think he is a stellar conductor and his performances have depth, but just not the level of depth that will eventually come his way. And we will have a lifetime to watch him fully develop, which will be great experience for all of us who enjoy classical music. And no doubt he will continue to inspire and encourage young musicians - regardless of ethnicity or background.
Maestro Muti has the experience to achieve a depth in musical performance that will be unmatched. Like Dudamel, I believe he can breathe new life into some of these pieces that have been programmed to death – but with a different style and approach that only he can do. However, locally, we have to learn from the young Maestro out west with regard to his approach. He reaches out, and follows through. I believe that is the key to engaging people in the musical arts. Dudamel is able to involve people from all walks of life without compromising the integrity of the music. He is involved with the Youth Orchestra Of Los Angeles (YOLA). He conducted those young people in a performance of Beethoven 9 at the Hollywood Bowl days before his performance with L.A. Following through...
While it is very exciting to watch new ground and cultural barriers in classical music being broken 2000 miles away, it is equally exciting to have the opportunity to witness the pinnacle of musical performance at Symphony Center with our new Maestro and the world class Chicago Symphony Orchestra. My hope is that locally, people brought into the mix perhaps by Gustavo Dudamel, will then take advantage of having the CSO in their neighborhood, not to mention all the other fantastic musical organizations in the Chicago area.
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