The State of The Art

Soundcheck | May 3, 2010
At a time when it’s tougher than ever for a promising young concert pianist to establish a major performing career, Jonathan Biss has vastly exceeded expectations. At 23, he has already debuted with the New York Philharmonic, won an Avery Fisher career grant, and is recording his first CD for EMI. He joins us to perform some positively sparkling Schumann. We also hear from Douglas McLennan, a Seattle-based journalist and editor of Artsjournal.com, and ask him about classical music’s place on Americans’ cultural literacy menu. "Where once classical music was a core art," he argued in a recent Newsweek article, "it is now no longer essential, one of those things educated people believe they ought to know something about in order to be considered educated."
Additional Resources:

  • More about pianist Jonathan Biss
  • Read Douglas McLellan’s Newsweek article on cultural literacy

    Be alert for scams. WNYC never asks for nor accepts money for coverage or interviews. Anyone making such a request does not represent WNYC.

    Top Stories

    Hannah-Jones, NYC schools chancellor set to speak at high-stakes integration town hall

    Advice for Navigating Fertility and Growing Your Family

    Watch: Test your news knowledge with Brian Lehrer

    Previewing the Public Song Project Radio Special; Sarah Blakely-Cartwright's New Novel 'Heavy Cream'

    YOU ARE ONLINE