Is the symphony dying? Seems so if the youth of today are any indication. An interesting stud out of the UK about double bass players- they’re in short supply, and that is a very bad sign.
Matthew Jones, National Youth Orchestra, says, 'While the double bass has not traditionally been a popular choice for young musicians because of its size and cost we have always had a relatively stable amount of young players.
'The huge decline we have experienced in young double-bass musicians in recent times has come as a real surprise, and raises concern over the assembly, quality and continuation of youth and adult orchestras in future, if this trend is not reversed.'
Professional double bass player Richard Lewis believes a national call to action is needed to revive interest in the instrument.
He says, 'It would appear that the drop in numbers of double bass pupils is being felt across the country. From my own experience funding had been cut by local authorities so that no pupils to my knowledge have teaching on double bass or cello in my area of Mid Wales. The double bass underpins so many music genres, and is central to the modern orchestra, so it's saddening to see the instrument being underappreciated.
'I firmly believe more must be done by schools and music organizations countrywide to promote the value and importance of the double bass to young musicians, otherwise I fear we will see a steep decline in the quality and construction of British orchestras at a national level ' which is something we must avoid.'
So unless we repopulate the double bass stables the symphony is doomed? Maybe not but it certainly sheds light on the issue of youth and music. Schools in the UK and the US hard-pressed for cash toss music first. They tried to throw physical education but then the obesity epidemic would be blamed on that as well as the hell lunches served. So kill music.
Symphonies are unable to survive without subscribers and money is tight. This elitist ‘symphony fan’ is really just a regular guy with a love of intricate music- he’s doomed. Start recording this is the first genre that can easily go extinct.