Weird, and sort of sad...

[The Six]

Finally, one of them asked me "what, are you a professor over at the university?"

And I replied "no, just a working man, why?".

Now this bothered me. Professors don't work?

[Bulldog]

Now this bothered me. Professors don't work?

The ones I'm familiar with worked as little as possible.

[karlhenning]

They work a little more than rock musicians.

[DavidRoss]

That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

[Dr. Dread]

Yeah, touring's a breeze.

[karlhenning]

That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Exactly the soundtrack to my last post, Dave!

Yeah, touring's a breeze.

No one's sayin' that.

[CRCulver]

Yes there would be stupid stuff, "classical pop", but with this huge influx of people there would be an influx of talent and new music. Kids wouldn't be practicing electric guitar, they would be picking up the cello or playing the piano.

I think the current state of classical music in China shows that learning an instrument can be incredibly popular--millions of Chinese children are picking up the piano--but rather than any kind of expansion of the repertoire, the public limits itself to a slice of the Classical or Romantic aesthetic without any expansion of the genre.

[jochanaan]

I think the current state of classical music in China shows that learning an instrument can be incredibly popular--millions of Chinese children are picking up the piano--but rather than any kind of expansion of the repertoire, the public limits itself to a slice of the Classical or Romantic aesthetic without any expansion of the genre.

From what I've seen and heard, that's mostly true, but there are a few fascinating exceptions like Tan Dun and Yo-Yo Ma--or are they better-known outside China than inside?

[CRCulver]

From what I've seen and heard, that's mostly true, but there are a few fascinating exceptions like Tan Dun and Yo-Yo Ma--or are they better-known outside China than inside?

Both better known outside. Yo-Yo Ma isn't even considered Chinese (he was born in France, if I recall). Tan Dun left China in the mid-1980s.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

millions of Chinese children are picking up the piano

Those kids must be really strong! 

Seriously, here's something I wonder about. From my limited perspective, it appears that the only instruments really popular in East Asian countries are the piano, violin and cello. So while these countries can form zillions of piano trios, how do they staff their full orchestras?

Yo-Yo Ma isn't even considered Chinese (he was born in France, if I recall).

Far as I know, he's been a US citizen all his life, so there's no real reason to consider him Chinese.