Reaching the Audience

Conjecture: Audiences are declining for "classical" concerts and "classical" recordings because composers are no longer writing for an existing market, and the warhorses of previous generations are losing the interest of most young people. This does not apply to all composers, of course. There are many who have identified markets for their work and who compose to satisfy the needs of those markets. They are interacting with their cultures, and that is without doubt a Good Thing.Many of them are choosing to compose for the wind band market, because there is a need for good, new music in that market. It is possible to fill programs with music by living composers in the wind band world. It happens every day. Yes, I personally find the symphony orchestra a more satisfying musical instrument, but that's a declining market for living composers. And many of them, dating from the very first sound movies, have produced excellent movie music just as composers of earlier generations produced excellent incidental music for plays. They have found a ready and waiting market, and demonstrated the skills needed to meet the necessities of that market.