Will the East Save Western Culture?-
I've noted this phenomenon before on this thread, but my thinking has become a little more refined, and I now think it may reflect something significant.
I have a young Asian immigrant friend who is a violinist in the Pre-College Division of Julliard School of Music, one of the elite conservatories of the Americas. When I accompanied him to his audition, I noticed a preponderance of oriental faces among the applicants. The lad's mother reports that 90% of students- I'm not sure whether or not she is referring to string students only, or to the Pre-College in general- were Asian or of Asian descent. I mentioned this recently to someone who is knowledgeable about musical training in Germany, and he said a similar phenomenon is in place there. I'll throw in one more observation. A few months ago, I attended a concert at what might be called one of the third tier conservatories in the US (the performance, other than the soloist, was certainly third rank). And there the student orchestra was predominantly Caucasian, with a few Negroes and Asians thrown in for good measure. I drew the tentative conclusion that orientals who lacked the talent to get into the top ranked conservatories did not continue with music.
Now for the Deep Meaning. First, I find it quite sad that European people seem to be abandoning a musical and cultural heritage that they developed. One that some blue ribbon panel called one of the two hundred great inventions of the millennium. They would rather participate in a musical expression that places fewer demands on performers and audiences alike, and one that lacks enduring value. And I wonder what it says about our culture, and its future, that our children and our families do not strive for the kind of excellence that is required of serious classical musicians. I find it ironic and I find myself grateful that the kind of commitment required to produce this music still lives in a culture and people who adopted it. But I also wonder what it says of a people who relinquish a cultural patrimony so casually as Americans seem willing to do.
I think even for non-musicians- and this may be the socially significant part of my post- that there are worse ways to spend one's adolescence than pursuing a demanding craft and art like classical music. My friend at Julliard placed third in a local competition (hey, he was the youngest finalist!) earlier this year for people under 18 and for which first prize included the possibility of soloing with a regional orchestra. So the second and third places were won by Korean immigrants: a American born girl with an American father and Japanese mother won first prize. That girl said she intends to pursue a career in biochemistry, and I am confident that the discipline and precision she learned with the violin will stand her in good stead in her chosen career.
I realize this is a rather prolix post but I'm curious if others have noted a similar phenomenon, and if so, what they think the reasons may be, and what the longer term significance of this trend may be. |
