Classical music in halls and malls

Regarding all the discussion below about programming at the CSO, I'm giving you a link to last week's symphony review, in case you didn't see it. Most classical music lovers regard music by Sibelius and even Carl Nielsen as part of the standard symphonic repertoire. This is great orchestral music, and I don't know why some people are offended by "Nordic" music. As for Paavo's programming philosophy of mixing it up with the occasional "living composer" like Erkki-Sven Tuur or Charles Coleman -- I am always curious about the piece, sometimes underwhelmed, sometimes impressed, but never disappointed when I go. I wish there was a better forum for the music of today -- hey how about a separate festival (a la MTT's in San Francisco) called "Music of Today," featuring local composers, American composers, including a few FEMALE composers, please ... ? The possibilities are endless. As one blogger commented below, if we do not hear and support today's classical music, we will not move forward as a culture.

As for next year's programming, I am personally most excited about the Stravinsky festival.

On a related topic is today's letter to the editor. Yes, ironically, classical music is being piped into malls to keep out the "undesirable elements." I think our downtown Public Library has also been playing Mozart string quartets (but not Bruckner) in front of the bus stop by the library, to keep people from loitering there. Is this a good thing -- or not??