The Classical Music Industry

7 Inequalities in the Classical Music Industry

The Role of Subjectivity in Constructions of the “Ideal” Classical Musician

Christina Scharff

Inequalities in the cultural and creative industries have come on the agenda in recent years. Academic research and debates in the media and the cultural sector have highlighted the lack of diversity in the cultural workforce. In line with these developments, several reports have mapped existing inequalities in the classical music industry.¹ Such analyses have documented a range of patterns, including the middle-class culture of classical music practice, the under-representation of female musicians and musicians from working-class and/or black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and vertical segregation (referring ...