GG:Death of Symphonies

[Mary Jo Watts <mwatts@rci.rutgers.edu>]

CNN (North America) is running a story today about the national strike
of symphony members.  The average salary is 64,000$ and most strikers
are asking for a 15% increase in spite of a severe drop in ticket
sales, and the fact that European musicians will accept U.S. contracts
of substantially less pay.  The San Diego symphony is one of several
symphonies that have gone bankrupt in recent years and are now
defunct. According to the report, the average classical concert-goer
in Atlanta is in their 60's.  A couple of folks who were interviewed
observed that as the older listeners die off the baby boomer
generation is not filling their seats.  The final word of the piece
went to a composer who says that within 10 years, at this rate there
will only be symphonies in 12 major US cities.  The drop off is
attributed in part to the massive amounts of recordings which are
available of the 360 or so symphonic pieces and the fact that the
concert hall is not an entertaining place to listen to music!

Was GG right????

-MJ