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Metro Detroit classical music lovers need to get used to the idea that having a "world class" classical music venue like the Detroit Symphony is just beyond our income these days. Has been for a while now. Sad but true.

sign of the times...

Cultural "gem" or not Detroit can't afford a world-class symphony orchestra: So says Detroit News editor Daniel Howes in this recent blog post. He's right of course. But the bigger picture to my mind is that metropolitan symphony orchestras are a quaint left-over from the 19th century that we can safely ditch. If the DSO can't make it financially, just let it go.

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Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians have a base salary of $104,650? WTH? No wonder the DSO is having financial problems. It really isn't that much compared to what an even moderately successful country music, pop, rock or rap entertainer gets, but then the public voluntarily pays for their performances and recordings. Who the hell in the private sector would continue on with an entertainment enterprise that runs a seven figure annual deficit? Municipal symphonies are a legacy of bygone days when the wealthy elites of a metropolitan area paid for all this as a matter of conspicuous consumption in order to show the world how cosmopolitan their cities were. I can think of some things Detroit needs a lot more for it's cultural edification and enjoyment than a highly paid and money losing classical music society. Like, say, keeping the libraries open for instance.