As friends of mine in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia orchestras strike — and as even musicians' outcries of support here in the UK are subtly muted, due to the fact that both orchestras' musicians earn well over double what they would be earning in the UK — I feel that I ought to write about this.

But I can't.

Consider it written, if you don't mind: the whole bit.

The USA richest's historic endowments of the arts, the UK government's increasing miserliness (not only relating to music, but with regard to all the arts and indeed towards anything not STEM-based), the gradual lack of classical music's grip on contemporary culture, the short-sightedness of countries without the faintest interest in promoting kids' sense of mastery and cognitive development etc...

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA