COMMENT

MUSIC, MEDIA AND HOOSIERS

By Michael P. Scott

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, 21 October 2006—I get so frustrated when ENTIRE sections of American newspapers are devoted to mind-numbing, incomprehensible, arcane sports statistics treated with the same awe as the second coming of Christ and yet, as was the case recently in Indianapolis, Indiana, the local newspaper could only eke out space for one six-inch story about the local opera and absolutely no space devoted to the Indianapolis Symphony's performance with a Tchaikovsky Piano Competition winner.

But, as is the case with so many newspapers, there's about as much chance of The Indianapolis Star expanding its arts coverage to even half the space devoted to high school track and field, let alone basketball and/or football, as there is of me growing thin and hair. Sigh.

The New York Times recently cited (in a review of the newest book about Steinway Pianos) Thomas Mann’s contention that "only the exhaustive is truly interesting." If Indianapolis (and many other American cities) hopes to achieve its desire to be a world class arts community, it must realize that dumbing things down (Amy Grant, for Heaven's sake, heads the list of upcoming Indianapolis Symphony guest artists) isn't going to help. "Exhaustive" WILL help—look no further than to coverage of business, crime and—especially in this town—cars that go really fast in endless left-hand circles every May!

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