* I'm told that that the number of Grammy Awards submissions in recent years for classical music outnumbers all of the other categories' submissions combined!
* In a recent post, I commented on the unexpected popularity of the Chamber Music podcasts that Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is experiencing on iTunes.
* Alex Ross in his excellent article in the current New Yorker describes his recent visits with Indianapolis, Nashville, and Alabama Symphonies and comments on the high quality of the performances.
The first two phenomena are driven by the advances of technology and digitization familiar to Long Tail mavens and are hugely encouraging signs for the health of classical music.
On the other hand, Alex Ross' experience, just as encouraging, is caused by some other factors. As Ross alludes to, the quality of these orchestras is the result of factors very familiar to the athletic world - continuously improving teaching techniques which in turn combine with a growing population from which to draw talent produces conservatory graduates that raise the bar with each subsequent graduating class.
Another phenomenon not mentioned by Ross is the quality of new instruments, especially stringed instruments. With each generation the craft of lutherie advances the science of lutherie and turns out ever better instruments at better prices.
Much like wine produced by modern methods, these new instruments, while not the equal of the finest older instruments, sound good right now and they allow younger players or players who lack the financial means of their colleagues in big city orchestras to own far superior instruments than prior generations.
There's never been a better time for classical musicians and their audiences.
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