ABOUT TOC

TOC's mission is to provide:
1) classical music venues
2) outlets for up and coming classical artists
3) education and inspiration for children to pursue classical careers

TOC's mission is supported by its position paper, which outlines the state of classical music today, and the need for organizations like TOC.

Position Paper

'There is much unease today among those who head America's orchestras. Statistics show that audiences are aging, and the collapse of arts education in the public schools makes it difficult to find new listeners among a younger, more ethnically diverse population. The repertory has grown stuffy and predictable, and daring ventures tend to alienate old, reliable subscribers. Finances are shaky in all the arts, but classical music is particularly vulnerable." (New York Times)

Headlines announcing the death of classical music have become a familiar sight in the past two generations. Deciding what or whom is to blame has become a major preoccupation, but what is the actual state of classical music audiences in the US? Attendance at concerts and the number of recitals and concerts has dropped dramatically (some figures claim by 70% in the past 25 years) and classical music is simply not the cultural mainstay that it was prior to the 1960's. However, opinion is split as to how we can understand the statistics that we are fed by the media. Many artists defend the genre by claiming that it is simply a case of classical music appreciation changing form to keep in pace with the progress of technology and the onslaught of an increasingly universal mainstream pop culture.

American concert halls and orchestras are in an increasingly precarious financial position. The San Jose symphony orchestra bowed out in June, 2002 due to an estimated $3.4 million in debts and falling attendance. The Tulsa Philharmonic closed its doors in September 2002 citing tenuous financial conditions. In 2002, the New York Chamber Symphony (NYCS), founded as the Y Chamber Symphony in 1977 and a resident ensemble at the 92nd Street Y, folded because of financial difficulties. In the last year, the prestigious Eos orchestra of New York City was forced to close despite its high-profile collaborations with such artists as cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The list goes onÉ

The variety of classical performances has diminished. The piano recital, that quintessential image of classical music, is increasingly rare. There are only 9 piano recitals at the Merkin Concert Hall from September 2004 to September 2005 as compared to 50 in 1975-6. The 'Keyboard Conversations' recital series at the 92nd Street Y is being discontinued after 16 years.

Radio, the most accessible medium of all, is curtailing and, in some cases, shutting down its classical music programs. Chicago's WNIB abandoned its classical music format at midnight Sunday, leaving WFMT as the City's only commercial classical station. According to the Washington Post, Washington DC public radio classical music station WETA pared down its broadcasts of classical music in 2000 because "public radio listeners have demanded more news; folks driving home at night want news and not music, certainly not classical music; and classical music listeners aren't the best pledge donors." Record labels shut down production of slow-selling classical greats and do not give money to record the work of new composers.

Most troublesome of all, schools are being forced to squeeze out music education because, despite its inclusion by law in the curriculum, it is not checked up on in the way that math and reading work are. This is despite evidence (pioneered by the Suzuki Association) that music education is a catalyst to literacy and mathematical learning as well as being invaluable in promoting healthy behavior and psychology in children. It is estimated that 60% of students in US public schools are being deprived of a music education; the most energetic interest group in popular culture increasingly has no exposure to virtuosic concert music.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, it has become even harder for arts institutions to raise money. The slow economy over the last few years has inundated traditional private funding sources with requests for money. New and creative avenues for financial support are imperative for the survival and nurture of classical music. The work of TOC and other young organizations are needed now more than ever to provide 1) classical music venues; 2) outlets for up and coming classical artists and 3) education and inspiration for children to pursue classical careers.