cyntillating sounds: w

a column on the state of classics

A cure

O yes, I have the answer you’ve all been waiting for. How to cure the financial crisis…

No, not really.

Seriously, why would I even attempt to clean up that mess without the experience and

knowledge that I as a liberal arts educated musician do not have.

Yet it does make one wonder how we let people get us all into that mess.

Are we so lazy, so stupid, so naïve?

Yes, yes and yes it appears.

And who are now the really big losers? People with lots of money now have less.

I personally can’t lose any sleep on that one. However, a day doesn’t go by without news

of another orchestra, opera company record label or conservatory in deep, deep trouble.

Despite many books and articles screaming at us that the new economy will be fueled by

creativity, we are knocking down young creatives at every turn. More out of work musicians,

less music education, less scholarships for kids and cheap tickets to concerts,

fewer reviews, less quality radio.

Ye olde ‘Penny wise and pound foolish’ quickly springs to mind.

So let’s put away our naiveté and laziness and get out there and support the next wave of

creativity which this crisis will surely inspire. My newest heroes on the musical creativity

front are the members of The Slide Factory. No, they don’t produce any playground equipment.

They use their ingenuity to attract huge audiences for new music and exciting events.

They foremost weapon in the fight against musical pessimism is not cold, hard cash,

but cold, shiny copper.

Out of nothing, they have added a biannual something, The Slide Factory Festival. Check it out.

Perhaps it will not cure the financial crisis (couldn’t fool you now could I).

It is certainly great medicine to cure the present music blues. see also Talent