When I spoke with a group of musicians before Easter, our conversation turned to the fact that most of them had been shaped by participating in church choirs, church orchestras, brass bands, military music ensembles, and similar groups. Today, such choirs and orchestras are becoming increasingly rare. Social change is eroding the foundation on which musical excellence is built. At the same time, the current economic crisis is forcing almost all countries to impose public spending cuts in every sector, including culture.
We who work in the cultural sector must be fully aware that cuts to cultural budgets are the least likely to cost governments votes—in part because of these social changes. Moreover, the economic crisis is also causing business leaders to think carefully before acting as patrons or sponsors. Every concertgoer, opera fan, and theatre attendee is now considering whether to spend money on attending a performance; all the more so if we no longer experience, from an early age, how beneficial it is for us to enjoy or create music, theatre, or visual art.
Where are the days when farmers—who would spend two hours walking to church on Sundays—would choose which church to attend based on where ‘the better music’ was played?