Taste for classical music in big cities like Shanghai is well cultivated--something smaller cities are having problems to do. (Photo : The New York Times)
Although China is in no shortage of audience and classical music virtuosos, poor management of performing arts institutions and lack of education hinder classical music to truly bloom in the country, according to an article by The New York Times.
It's unfortunate, according to observers, as China enjoys long-term partnerships with revered institutions such as the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In addition, the Juilliard School launched its plans last year to build a branch in Tianjin in 2018.
Despite the obvious potential, weak management and distaste for more adventurous kind of classical music prevent classical music in China to keep growing.
"The question for China now is, how do we cultivate passion for music, and not just stars?" asked Long Yu, who once served as the music director of the Shanghai Symphony and the chief conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra.
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are hotspots for classical activity, while second- and third-tier cities like Wuhan and Xi'an are having trouble filling their new concert halls with both musicians and audiences. Such cities don't have regular concert seasons and lack funding to invite respected foreign orchestras.
As a result, Wuhan's gleaming concert halls have fallen under disrepair.
"The orchestras in these second-tier cities are very thirsty and looking for help," said Cai Jindong, a Stanford University professor and guest conductor in China, in an interview with The New York Times.
"They need soft-skills development, from the very top leadership down to the musicians, the maintenance of the concert hall, education, everything."
Aside from problems within institutions, experts also point to a lack in quality programming, philanthropy and cultural policies.
"What China lacks is a unified cultural policy," said Ren Xiaolong, deputy director of programming at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.
According to Ren, arts in China are still considered as "a part of the revolutionary machine--the government runs the machine and the people passively receive."
