I knew a book was coming out about the classical music scene. I knew it would be full of sex and drugs (I don’t know about rock and roll, but there will be plenty of classical music). Yesterday I read a newspaper article about the book here. I found it troubling. Extremely so. (If you click on the link please know what you read you might find offensive.)

The headline reads “The truth of making sweet music”. So is this book telling the truth about all of us? I don’t think so! In fact, I know that it’s not.

I didn’t sleep my way into any orchestra. Not once. Because the author of this new book did, and, from what the article implies, knows other that have as well, does not make it true for all of us. I don’t know one person who slept his or her way into the orchestras of which I am a part. Yes, some have loose morals. Some have done unethical things. (All of this in my little opinion of course.) Yes, some have done drugs (although I can’t say I know anyone now who does that sort of thing), although I never did and I never saw anyone who did.

But is this so different than any other profession? There are people who sleep their way to the top everywhere. And there are others who don’t. There are drug addicts and alcoholics in every profession. That doesn’t mean that the profession has demanded this of them. This is a choice made by the individual rather than the profession.

I would guess, in fact, that the author of the book will find her new career as a writer will prove that music isn’t the only profession that offers up people with poor ethics and morals. She might sleep her way to the top of this new profession as well; this is her choice, not a job requirement.

So I’m bothered that the article is written as it is, and I’m hoping the book isn’t implying that we all get our jobs based on our sexual offerings. My understanding was that there was more in the book than sex; I had thought that it was also about the demise of the classical music business. I guess I’ll have to wait for some reviews.
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