The Crisis of Classical Music in America

Lessons from a Life in the Education of Musicians

Robert Freeman

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781442233034
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Classical Music

The Crisis of Classical Music in America by Robert Freeman focuses on solutions for the oversupply of classically trained musicians in America, problem that grows ever more chronic as opportunities for classical musicians to gain full-time professional employment diminishes year upon year. An acute observer of the professional music scene, Freeman argues that music schools that train our future instrumentalists, composers, conductors, and singers need to equip their students with the communications and analytical skills they need to succeed in the rapidly changing music scene. This book maps a broad range of reforms required in the field of advanced music education and the organizations responsible for that education.

Featuring a foreword by Leonard Slatkin, music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, The Crisis of Classical Music in America speaks to parents, prospective and current music students, music teachers and professors, department deans, university presidents and provosts, and even foundations and public organizations that fund such music programs. This book reaches out to all of these stakeholders and argues for meaningful change though wide-spread collaboration.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Foreword
• Preface
• The Winds of Change
• Where Did Musical Instruction Come From?
• My Own Education
• Advice for Parents
• Advice for Collegiate Music Students
• Advice for Collegiate Music Faculty
• Advice for Music Deans
• Advice for Provosts and Presidents
• Some Suggestions for Foundation Directors and for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities
• Epilogue
• Appendix A: How to Evaluate Music Faculty
• Appendix B: Convocation Address by Robert Freeman
• Index
• About the Author