Re: OT: French composers are leaving France for the US?

[Doc Rossi <docittern@gmail.com>]

Thanks for posting this.  I hadn't heard anything about it, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were more to it than meets the eye.  Sure, the French Academy is very closed and hard to crack, but consider the fields the article is looking at. As for music, we're talking about academic music, which is very specialized. Otherwise, France is a good place for musicians and composers because, as the article mentions, quality of life is a priority here, and that means the arts are supported.

I wonder if research grants supported by big business and multi-nationals isn't behind this so-called brain drain.  Biology is very lucrative when put into that context, and economics isn't far behind when one considers the funding available through politically motivated think tanks.

Doc Rossi

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 7:10 AM, Art Simon <simart@gmail.com> wrote:

I was shocked when I read this quote from today's NY times (on an
article about French professors leaving France for the US):

"The brain drain in French academia has been observed in other arenas,
as well. The field of musical composition, for example has been hurt
by the trend, and composers are few, training offers scarce and jobs
rare. “We are in the process of killing contemporary music in France,”
said an unidentified composer cited in the report."

Really, I'm shocked. It doesn't seem like the US right now is really
flowering with interest in contemporary music. I thought with IRCAM's
rich history, not the least of which is that it's the origin of MAX,
France was the mecca for contemporary music. I guess I'm out of touch.
Also, I guess I'm shocked because I just love France and French
culture. Of all the people who might want to leave France, the last
I'd pick would be French composers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/world/europe/22iht-educSide22.html?ref=education
--
Art Simon
simart@gmail.com
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