You don't hear about Aetna or HSBC or Geico having to close its doors because it's unable to pay for the health insurance, pensions and payrolls of its staff. And yet, again and again, that's the story we hear as one by one the major orchestras in this country close up shop. The latest is the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the all-time greatest. I remember teaching myself to fake conduct to some of their recordings as a kid.
If people enjoyed attending classical music concerts enough, they'd be buying tickets sufficient to support the industry. Professional sports teams exist because there's a huge demand for them. But make no mistake, if Little League didn't exist, I doubt so many middle-aged men would be clamouring for season tickets to their favorite baseball team.
We gave up on music education in our public schools a long time ago. And now, we're seeing the result. The equation couldn't be simpler.
