Classical music, once a bastion of high culture and artistic excellence, is now under threat as the push for the woke agenda infiltrates every corner of society. Just like Hollywood, academia, and sports, classical music is being "wokened" into irrelevance. The cult of inclusivity now demands that instead of focusing on the best, we focus on representation—regardless of the talent or creativity involved.
The decline has been obvious for years. In the U.K., for example, the BBC Proms—once a prestigious classical music festival—has been reduced to "disco Proms" and concerts featuring pop and folk artists. This trivialization of the genre is not just about expanding the audience; it's about pandering to the lowest common denominator in the name of making classical music "relevant" and inclusive.
Wokeness isn't about improving classical music; it's about making it politically correct. The newly appointed Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen, who is hailed as the “living embodiment of multicultural Britain,” highlights this trend. Instead of selecting the most talented and well-known composers, the choice seems driven by optics and identity politics.
The BBC, as a state-funded broadcaster in the U.K., has an obligation to preserve and elevate high culture. Yet, their current approach, from Doctor Who-themed Proms to pop singers like Florence Welch, suggests they are embarrassed by classical music’s rich legacy. They cater to superficial entertainment rather than challenging audiences with the beauty of orchestral masterpieces.
The future of classical music depends on whether excellence can once again take precedence over inclusivity. Without this shift, classical music, like so many other cultural institutions, may become another casualty of wokeness.
