Platform Papers 29: Democracy vs. Creativity in Australian Classical Music

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‘Those of us working in the classical music sector today’, writes Canham, ‘tend to have a very limited understanding not only of the general public’s relationship with their own creativity, but also of the impact this has on their potential interest in the creativity of others. Which is a way of saying that none of our surveying and reporting and documentation for grant acquittals is really asking the essential question: “Why don’t you, or wouldn’t you, come to our concert? Or if you were to come, what would you like to see/hear?”

‘But today we are in a unique position—the middle of a creativity revolution, inventing new forms of popular culture in which everyone can be a participant. Everyone is open to the idea of making their lives more beautiful or successful. Shouldn’t we be adding the enjoyment of classical music to that list?’ What really inspires us is awakening to our potential. Canham suggests how this might be done and describes her own experience of making ‘deconstructed’ opera developed with her audience.

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