Det nedskæringstruede Jyske Ensemble

Gordon Hunt, solooboist i London Philharmonia og London Chamber Orchestra, var i maj i Danmark for at spille med Det Jyske Ensemble, og det chokerede ham at høre at ensemblet er i fare for at miste kunstrådsstøtten fra 2011. Han har derfor skrevet et brev hvor han roser ensemblets høje standard og arbejde for regionens kulturelle liv, og argumenterer for at det vil få katastrofale konsekvenser at nedlægge ensemblet. Hvad er meningen med at skære i bevillingerne til Det Jyske Ensemble? Er det starten på et generelt kulturdrab i Danmark? spørger han.

7th June 2009

Dear Sir,

I have recently returned from working for a week with the Jyske Ensemble, which is a group I have known for some years. I was horrified on this occasion to learn that they are under very real danger of disbandment from Christmas 2010, and feel that I must write my thoughts on the subject. I think I am qualified to do so because, amongst many other musical visits to Denmark, I was Artistic Advisor to the Storstrøms Kammerensemble from 2001–2003 and so am aware of the unique and precious resource which is provided by these and other ensembles around the country.

The members of the Jyske Ensemble are highly talented, hard-working and committed musicians who have dedicated their lives to providing a cultural service to the region, and I admire them enormously. We played to very substantial houses in Hobro and Nyborg, and then took our programme to Copenhagen, where the audiences were also very good, and in all cases the public was highly appreciative, giving a standing ovation.

People have a right to expect music, and more widely, culture in general to be provided in an ongoing way, but without such ensembles there would be no live music being brought to the public in many areas. More than this, the Jyske Ensemble plays many concerts in schools, where young people probably have their only chance to hear music being played by real people at close quarters. This is the only way in which they might decide that they want to play a musical instrument – by hearing and seeing it being played. If they do not have this chance, then the future supply of young instrumentalists is cut off before it even starts.

Is this the idea of the proposed cutting of funds to the Jyske Ensemble – to begin to kill off culture in Denmark? If so, shame on the politicians with the power to do it. The reality is that the extremely modest amount of money required to continue to support this and other ensembles around the country is a vital investment in the future of culture, and is not only worth making, but should be felt to be an absolute obligation.

I look forward to returning to Denmark to work with the Jyske Ensemble, and knowing that their future and that of live music in general has been secured, and not destroyed.

Yours faithfully,

Gordon Hunt (Principal oboe, Philharmonia Orchestra and London Chamber Orchestra)

Læs Optakts artikel "Ringene breder sig" om samme sag

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