Stepping Out Of The Shade

As I watch civilization slowly emerge from our pandemic hibernation, I realize we still live in a dangerous world. I find myself in a tentative group, semi-fortified with my two immunizations but about to head back into isolation that has thus far spared me an agonizing demise. And so, continuing my concerted exercise to stay positive, as far as that is possible, I try to image how culture will survive in a post-pandemic world. The first thing I realize is that in the field of music, the bulldozer of addictive noise and its acceptance as music, was already demolishing what we have previously revered as classic or classical. Throbbing, screamingly repetitive phrases drew gigantic audiences, and the purveyors absconded with huge financial resources. That onslaught will only continue until the public is educated to appreciate the intricacies of more sophisticated composition and performance. In a post pandemic nation, the fine arts must be raised to a higher priority in all levels of education. This must start in elementary and secondary schools by insisting on sophisticated music programs and music appreciation classes in the curriculum. This will be a hard sell against funding for bloated administrative functions, sports programs, and transportation services. “Our audiences are so old,” is a refrain I hear frequently and I’m afraid my response is now to ask what those observer