Several media outlets across the United States see a serious issue with classical music: most pieces were written by white, European composers. Moreover, African-Americans make up only 1.8 per cent of orchestras nationwide.

Astonishingly, classical music has become the latest vehicle for attacking whites, seen by many as carrying the original „sin” of slavery. Much of the press in the US claims that classical music is „racist”, Valeurs Actuelles reports. The French weekly points out that, according to the New York Times „it is the least diverse institution in the country” and a cover-up for a „racism problem”. Seattle Magazine goes a step further, suggesting that classical music should be attacked for its „whiteness”, while the National Public Radio s (NPR) website claims that this type of music is „extremely white and increasingly marginalised”. To top it all, New Music USA states that „classical music is inherently racist” and „it s time to let classical music die”. 

The critics also cite data to support their claim that classical music is „too white”. According to a 2016 report by the League of American Orchestras, only 1.8 per cent of the musicians in the band were black and only 2.5 per cent were Hispanic in that year. Some also criticise the fact that the vast majority of classical music works were written by European composers, who were white. On these grounds, the San Francisco Chronicle s recently published piece lamented that the city s Symphonic Orchestra had performed almost exclusively the works of white composers.

There is, however, another factor that s worth mentioning. The sad truth is that classical music is attracting fewer and fewer people, especially among younger generations. According to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts, the proportion of people attending classical music concerts fell from 17 to 8.8 per cent between 1982 and 2012, while the rate of younger concert-goers aged under 30 has also dropped from 27 to 9 percent. Against this background, the sector s professionals are looking for ways of renewal, Le Figaro contends.