What do you think will happen to our jobs as musicians?

Question

Now that the economy is in a huge slump, what do you think will happen to our careers as performers and teachers? If you have already retired or if you have tenure, what do you think will happen to the young ones?

I have noticed in some places, the concert attendance is slipping due to high prices. In some ways ticket prices are lowering. 

How does this affect education? DO you see them booting music out of public school programs? I just wonder what other working musicians think on this subject. Usually arts programs are the first to go and that is scary for a growing musician.

Alberich · Accepted Answer

I'm not a working musician, retired.

     But I can feel for you.  Usually in any downturn in the economy, most often the arts and in particular, fine arts are the first to be impacted.  And the field of education in general.

     Seniority, tenure and such, is to be highly valued in such instances.  Those lowest on the totem pole will suffer first, and the most.

     Here in Nevada, we experienced the downturn quite some time ago, gaming being the principal industry that has declined sharply; and it, the state, has been severely impacted, its revenue greatly reduced.

     I only hope you can hang on - "stiff upper lip" - and all that.

                                                Best regards,

                                                     Alberich

G- · Answer

I have a feeling that music will a small slump just as every other field is, but in the end, music will persevere.  Music has lasted since the times of ancient civilizations and will last forever more.  Another cause of lessened attendance at concerts especially if classical is that the young generation is one of punk rock and lack of taste in music.

Marcel G · Answer

Don't know how things will pan out down there.  Up here in Canada, music is only available in some schools - it was cut years ago.  So I find talking to younger people they often don't know an oboe from a watermelon, and want to know what other 'songs' that guy Mo Zart wrote besides "Twinkle, twinkle".

Music has been commoditized and dumbed down like so much else in our culture - we have a prime minister who is completely duh about anything that even hints at a whiff of the artistic.  Hope you can hold on down there.

Trending News

What do you think will happen to our jobs as musicians?

3 Answers