What America needs is a revival of amateur musicmaking, according to Ralph Locke.
Locke, a member of the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, says:"Music is becoming a passive activity. People make music less often than in the past, and rarely go to hear it live."
A vital musical culture promotes participation for many, he says, adding, "When the high school music teacher is as important a force in the musical life of a city as a recording giant, we will have taken a great step forward."