An article Tuesday (3/31) on the website for British magazine Gramphone states, “After Gramophone’s recent and very widely discussed poll to determine ‘The world’s 20 greatest orchestras,’ many readers responded that they would like something to follow that would specifically focus on the inspiring social role that orchestras can play. We agree. At a time when bands are seeing their funding threatened left, right and centre, and one suspects that governments are covetously eyeing their arts budgets, it is not at all a bad idea to remind ourselves of the hugely positive role that music can play in society. So Gramophone’s editors sought advice from a consulting jury comprising leading instrumentalists, who after all spend their lives immersing themselves in the activities of lots of different orchestras around the world. … The aim was to compile a celebratory list of ten of the world’s most inspiring orchestras.” The New York Philharmonic made the cut for its cultural diplomacy. The list also included the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Buskaid (Soweto, Africa) Ensemble, East West Divan Orchestra, Orchestre National d’Ile de France, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
Posted April 2, 2009
