Page 119 - FULL BOOK Isata Kanneh-Mason Childhood Tales

I find it upsetting that British politicians are afraid of revealing that they’re interested
in culture. In Italy, where I conduct the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the audience applaud
when a senior politician comes to a concert. Classical music – and all culture – helps
grow our collective awareness of what it is to be a human being. That’s a beautiful thing
– why don’t we celebrate it? Conducting at the coronation proved what an
extraordinary array of talent we have here in the UK, from gospel choirs to brass bands.
How can their existence be so threatened? Music’s value and importance was there for
everyone to see. I hope it provokes a real discussion for once. Classical music gets your
brain as well as your heart going. How many things in life can do all that? Antonio
Pappano, music director of the Royal Opera House. Pappano conducts Wozzeck
there from 19 May.

2. The Tories should honour their £90m manifesto
pledge

I grew up on a north London estate with no interest in classical music. But my life
changed at 17 when I was given a ticket to hear a string quartet. I still remember what
was played – Beethoven then Brahms (super boring, I thought). But then they played
Ligeti’s Métamorphoses Nocturnes, written in the 1950s, a few years after most of his
family had been killed in the Holocaust. It’s raw, brutal even, certainly not tuneful, and
it completely captivated me.

‘It’s not for me’ has to be turned into ‘I can’t live without this’
I would never have been at that concert if it wasn’t for the Cavatina Chamber Music
Trust, a charity that gives young people tickets to concerts. That experience inspired me
to go to university to study music and put me on the path to where I am today.
Everyone should have access to classical music. It enriches lives in so many ways.But
it’s an expensive art form and without support – from charities, government,
philanthropists – organisations will not be able to build future audiences, ticket prices
will rise and classical music risks becoming the preserve of the few. We need a bigger
cultural spend. I’d like to see a better settlement for the BBC and for the Arts Council.
The government should supercharge philanthropy to make it much easier for private
individuals to support the sector.

The last three or four years have been so difficult for the sector; it feels we have a
perfect storm today. First the pandemic and then Brexit to contend with, and now high
inflation, high energy costs and audiences are still slightly down on pre-pandemic
levels. During the Covid crisis, the government’s £2bn rescue package kept many
organisations alive. There’s no point in saving the cultural sector only to see it
disintegrate now. I’d also like to see the government honour its manifesto promise of a
£90m premium for arts education in schools. If young people aren’t exposed to it,
classical music has no future. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, chief executive, UK Music