| After the Curtis Concerts |
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On several occasions recently, I had the opportunity to hear world premiere performances of new classical music at the Curtis Institute of Music. The works, composed by the six young student composers (including my son, Sheridan) were challenging, engaging, interesting, and, often, beautiful. The audiences applauded these new additions to the classical repertoire, and the young men who wrote them took well-deserved bows. These pieces of music, which together consumed hundreds and hundreds of hours of painstaking effort, imagination, and inspiration supplemented with grueling "grunt work," tens of thousands of notes written, re-written, and divided into different instrumental parts...these pieces of music will, very likely, never be performed again. In a current climate where pop music reigns, the audience for classical music hovers around 2% of all concert-goers, and the audience for post-Beethoven works is less than half of that. The likelihood of any of these kids becoming household words in any but their own households is quite, quite small. So, what drives them? There are surer roads to riches -- just cross over to rock. Why do they pour their souls into expressive musical creations that will probably only reach a few ears? Their dedication flies in the face of our society's values, it would seem. But -- just ask one of them. The answer will not involve a thirst for notoriety, a fat bank account (or even a steady income). The answer will likely include words like "passion," "commitment," "fulfillment," and "happiness." Most would say they have to compose -- that only composing helps them reach what is deepest and truest in themselves. If they reach one person, touch one heart, with their music, they will be satisfied. Anything beyond that is a bonus. The very act of composing helps them to touch something eternal, something transcendent. And to talk with them, it is easy to catch their enthusiasm, and to be filled with hope for their future, and the future of classical music -- changing in many respects, but with core values that remain the same. In our current world, there are surely more popular things to be than followers of Jesus. And this is a pretty recent development. The world is filled with non-believers in Christ, some who never believed, some who espouse other faiths, some who were so badly burned by "Christianity" as it is often practiced that they stay far, far away from a church community. Recent statistics point to the United States as one of the top mission fields in the world, where millions have either never heard the Good News, or were subjected to a perverted version of Jesus' simple message of love and totally turned off. To stay committed, devoted, inspired when all around you are millions who don't, won't listen...is that crazy? Is there any point to being one of a small group when the world seems to have gone elsewhere? We all need to answer this for ourselves. We need to look into our hearts and souls, and nurture the love relationship that brought us to faith in the first place. We need to worry less about other people's reaction, and concentrate on touching the transcendent in our lives. If we are fed spiritually by worshipping, praying, singing, volunteering, together as a Christian family, then we are in the right place for us. If we remain passionately committed, fulfilled, and happy in the love of Jesus, others (never mind the number) will notice. The world will be a better place, because we will act in such a way that the lot of mankind is improved. Force and intimidation will not convert. Grace, generosity, and acceptance often will. Rock music can be absolutely wonderful -- edgy, bursting with energy and emotion, sometimes technically brilliant. This is rock's time on the throne of popular music. And, as rock waxes and wanes in the decades to come, classical music will still be written, still be played, still reach a deeply appreciative audience. Music is a sublime gift of God. Those who create music are truly blessed, and bless others with their talent. John Cage or Ben Kweller? A matter of taste. We'll never all agree, but all of us can strive to live as our best selves, riding out the tides of popularity. We can live each day staying true to our own call. Then, what may seem to some like cacophony, may become a glorious new harmony that rises to Heaven. |
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