To the Editor:

A schoolboy recently asked me if Richard Wagner was a pitcher for the Yankees. At that moment I feared that classical music in America was doomed.

Or is it? The dying of the classical recording industry, which began in the 1990s, is indeed a cause for despair. There seem to be, sadly, other harbingers of the death of classical music in America:

¶The recent labor disputes of American orchestras due to decreased budgets and donor support.

¶The reduction or outright cancellation of Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic tours and concerts in the parks.

¶The demise of classical music radio stations across America.

¶The increased media focus on rock and pop superstars, while classical music managements have difficulty booking concerts for their artists.

Nonetheless, there is a glimmer of hope that classical music can be saved. The New York Philharmonic has just announced a partnership with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. The Metropolitan Opera introduced live telecasts of its performances nationwide. New venues are springing up to accommodate the excellent classical ensembles and soloists emerging from music conservatories. Symphony orchestras have at least temporarily settled their labor disputes.