Classical Music: An Endangered Art?
Part 2

Hear additional comments from Bobby McFerrin
(Real Audio 2.0 14.4)

Interview 1 (1:17)
An early experience after moving from pop to classical music that shaped his impressions of the symphony world.

Interview 2 (1:13)
The "spiritual malady" that he sees infesting the American symphony orchestra.

Interview 3 (2:42)
The "greying" of classical music audiences, and the importance of building new ones.

Six years ago, when Bobby McFerrin was named Artistic Director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, his unorthodox approach to classical music became a lightning rod for both criticism - from music purists such as LeBrecht - and praise, from those who saw a much-needed "shot-in-the-arm" for the concert hall. McFerrin soon found he was facing an uphill battle:

McFerrin: Early on in my career, I had been conducting maybe a year or two and I was extremely excited, I was about to conduct Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. And I was hopping and skipping and running and jumping. I could not contain my excitement, I was so eager to get out there. I kept saying 'Come on! come on!' I couldn't wait for the intermission to be over, 'COME ON! COME ON! LET'S PLAY! LET'S ROCK-N-ROLL! LET'S DO IT!' And I was reprimanded by one of the musicians because he said I didn't have the correct attitude. I wasn't serious enough.