SPOTTED: Laurien Timmermans: "Just as fine art is the foundation for all modern art forms, classical music is the mother of all new musical developments."
- Music
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that many subsidies and other financial streams in the cultural sector are under pressure. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fund music schools and the organisation of events like classical music competitions within the music industry.
The newspaper Trouw asked ArtEZ Academy of Music director Laurien Timmermans for her response: "There are plenty of children who that have an interest in classical music, but if you limit accessibility—no music lessons, no opportunities to play with others—then it becomes a challenge to keep it relevant for them. You have to be lucky enough to grow up in a household where playing classical music is a given. Otherwise, playing an instrument becomes something elitist. It’s about conveying emotions and reflecting on the world. It's a shame for those with talent that wouldn't get the chance."
In the extensive piece Trouw published on this topic, Laurien was also asked whether the Classical Music programme should continue to exist, to which she responded: "Classical Music is one of the most vulnerable fields of study, partly because the instruments and individual tuition are very costly. Just as fine arts are the foundation for all modern art forms, classical music is the mother of all new musical developments. We must preserve that foundation. It needs our care."
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