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Arts Council Chair says: 'stop apologising for classical music'
Dame Liz Forgan will tell a gathering of the UK’s classical music elite not to ‘apologise’ for classical music.
Dame Liz will give the keynote speech at tomorrow’s Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards ceremony, the UK’s highest accolades for live classical music (Tuesday 12 May). In one of her first major speeches since taking up her post as Chairman of Arts Council England, she outlines her own defining musical experiences and provides a rallying call for music to find a central role in the life of every child:
“I am more grateful than I can say for adults who loved music themselves, who sought to pass on that love as soon as possible – or even sooner – and who totally lacked the defeatism that believes classical music is inaccessible, out of reach and somehow to be approached in disguise.
If I had been forced to spend five years doing nothing but clapping games or tootling Frère Jacques on the recorder I fear I might have turned to crime or even netball as a more exciting alternative. As it is, music has been an enduring passion throughout my life.
Give them Birtwistle, Buxtehude, Finzi, Ockeghem and Beethoven as soon as possible I say. Give them the best of contemporary music of all sorts. Live if you can. Give them the classics of world music. And if possible teach them to sing and play them too.
Above all don’t apologise.”
On the Arts Council’s commitment to music, she comments:
“We invest well over £100 million per year in the musical life of Britain and we are determined to continue and, if possible, extend that commitment. Public subsidy is an indispensable part of this story.”
The 20th Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards take place on the evening of Tuesday 12 May. A special ‘Performance on 3’ broadcast devoted to the awards will be at 7pm on Wednesday 13 May on BBC Radio 3.
The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards are presented in association with BBC Radio 3.
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