The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: For this coming Giving Tuesday, The Ear takes note that symphony orchestras are not alone in now being more like charities than businesses

By Jacob Stockinger

This coming Tuesday, Nov. 29, is Giving Tuesday.

It follows such hyped-up promotional and for-profit business days as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

But this year Giving Tuesday seems more important than ever.

It’s no secret that the conservative political forces now in ascendancy do not favor government subsidies of the arts. And one has no idea about what the taste in the arts is for the incoming administration.

Plus, economic competition among proliferating music groups has only tightened the screws even further on many organizations.

Of course, lots of music organizations – small, medium and big – need your help.

The Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Madison Opera, the Wisconsin Union Theater and increasingly the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music all seek out and solicit donations with more and more frequency.

And it is no secret that The Ear especially favors supporting music education organizations for young people such as the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (below, at the group’s 50th anniversary concert last winter). They not only train future musicians but also build future audiences for classical music.

But in whatever direction your philanthropy and generosity extend, here is some relevant news.

It is a story from The New York Times about how symphony orchestras are now less like businesses and more like charities.

Symphony orchestras aren’t alone, so the account seems especially timely with Giving Tuesday looming.

Here is a link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/arts/music/its-official-many-orchestras-are-now-charities.html?_r=0

If you have some thoughts, please leave them in the COMMENT section.

The Ear wants to hear.