Campaign Pledge No. 1

My first act of office as Music Director may surprise people, but I believe it is a necessity for securing a vibrant future for classical music: the penguin suits are out. This may sound like a very superficial gesture; fanciful, even. However, I’m not making a fashion comment, but a powerful sociological statement that reflects on the values, inherent worth, and esteem of musicians. The current orchestral attire continues the historical practice of considering musicians as part of the servant’s workforce. Bach, Haydn, Mozart - all were hired labor, used separate entrances, wore class-specific uniforms, and followed prescribed manners of anonymity that reflected their lower-class status. The wealthy landowners, royalty, and aristocrats were connoisseurs, and expressed their good taste and higher class status by keeping musicians and composers on staff. By throwing off the tux and anonymous black, today’s musicians can form a new identity and social position based on their worth.

The tails and white ties, with their roots in the uniform of the servant class, play into the image of classical music as art that caters to the elite. Audience members can attend concerts as individuals and be seen by peers and be recognized, but the performer remains an anonymous machine. Listeners don’t need to interact with those players either. A few claps of appreciation suffice and both parties go their own way. The exception is the musician who performs as a soloist, or in small self-governing ensembles.

The glass wall between the audience and musicians is hugely built upon an archaic social structure that is evoked every time a musician puts on the servant’s uniform. Musicians are artists: highly trained and committed, perceptive and sensitive. Today’s audiences want their live-classical music experience to include a vibrant relationship with performers that the audience can get to know, be inspired by, cheer for, and love.

So what should be used in place of the butler suit? I’m not sure of the specific details and design, but ideally, performers could wear something that projects an artistic elegance while meeting the practical needs of players in live performance. The attire would unify the ensemble through coordinated color and design, yet would allow some degree of personal choice.

Musicians are highly sophisticated athletes and should be treated as such. A tuxedo is hardly the most efficient attire for the intricate mechanics of playing an orchestral instrument. In the course of an evening’s concert, musicians complete a mind-boggling array of precise physical movements with split-second adjustments. Musicians need garments allowing for freedom of body motion and deep breathing. Many wind, brass, percussion and keyboard players sit for long periods and then play bursts of exacting movements without warming-up muscles and joints. The attire should help keep joints, muscles, and tendons warm, relaxed, and flexible to help guard against strains and fatigue. New compression sportswear technology could help keep muscles warm, nimble and prepared, increasing musicians’ performance level, confidence, and reduce the risk of injury, repetitive strain, and “musician’s elbow.” The compression technology could be a boon to violinists, violists, flutists and bassoonists by increasing blood-flow to the neck and shoulders, and preventing muscle strain.

The new attire should be free of buttons, cuff-links, and other superfluous objects that could damage or scratch valuable instruments. Concealed padding in the legs and chest could provide comfort to cello players. Violinists and violists could even do away with shoulder rests if their wardrobe design incorporated features to fulfill this function.

The fabric should protect the player and his/her instrument against perspiration, moisture, condensation, and other oils and rosins specific to each instrument. The garments should have specialized pockets and components to hold instrument-specific accessories. These include but are not limited to mutes, reeds, mallets, mouth pieces, tuning keys, swabs, rosin, extra strings, and knives.

Beyond comfort and practicalities, aesthetics is certainly a priority. These functional garments must look good and reflect an artistic ideal. Sports apparel companies already have the ability to create aesthetically pleasing attire for figure skaters and gymnasts. A fabric called Sportwool™ is already used by the Australian Olympic team and British tailors in eloquent, modern versions of bicycle suits that can be worn for sports or social functions. Why can’t orchestras demand innovative musician-wear? An inspired fashion designer paired with an expert in high-tech athletic wear could create a fresh image for today’s orchestra.

The butler suit must go. It is scary how we, the listeners, musicians, board members, media, and critics have been so tenaciously reluctant to let go of these oppressive social bonds. A new dress code for musicians marks a bold change in the long-held attitudes of the classical music performance setting. It opens the door for a dynamic relationship between players and listeners, and creates a new live performance paradigm where elitist attitudes are replaced by mutual respect and inspiration, where musicians are individually recognized and admired, where the act of creating music is acknowledged as the remarkable human event that it is. The dismissal of the butler suit is a first step.