Why don't kids nowadays know about Jazz and classi

Onhwy61, It's ironic that Highway 61 is where many music historians say that the blues and jazz were born. Regards

Oh also so you know how well musical rounded I am I play Guitar Piano and Sax. I played in a symphony for 5 years four of which in highschool and one in college. I played in a jazz band for 4 years in highschool, I played in another jazz/blues based band for a year, and I played in a cover band for a year, I curentley play acompany for my girlfriend for her classical seminar, and her comercial seminar.

So I really dont think that some of you guys are right when you say that it is the educational process that has caused a love for rock music or pop. I know what I like I have heard it all and played it all.

Also you guys and your big government rant I see what yall are talking about completley. Here is what I have to say to you about it DO SOMETHING! It seems like their are not enough of us to get something done. I am all about active comunity involvement because of the quality of comunity it brings about which has been lost due to the govenment...well.

Say what you will, kids learn from one another. They do what they must to be together, and that usually dictates a lot. If their attention spans seem short it is because they have found something of greater interest to pay attention to, something that applies to their lives. I think it is sad that some adults assume children are stupid or apathetic because those same children dont regard all that is served up to them as valuable. All these adults are really saying is that they cannot recognize how it is their children learn, that they find their childrens lives difficult to access...that they do not know the world their children are preparing to live in. I think a different assumption is in order if there is going to be an exchange of respect and willingness to learn from one another, and certainly you must ask a person to want to learn. Our minds may not be much, but they are completely our own.

I've played in our local symphony" The Skagit Symphony",
for the past 15 years,and its been my experience that not even 5 percent of the audience is young people,maybe 1 percent.
Even when we showcase a young artist concert featuring a talented youth at 14 playing a Piano Concerto in A Minor,OP.54 by memory still no youth show up what a shame.
I know the word gets out to the schools.Our PR people circulate to the school districts but still they don't show.

In the original post, there was a comment about some educators feeling that today's kids are smarter than previous generations. Not all educators would necessarily say that. I have known many teachers who've taught for decades and who lament the quality of today's students. One professor, who taught since the sixties, commented to me that he felt that today's students were much worse--the only area where they are better, on average, than students of yesteryear is that they have more "street smarts."

Secondly, a lack of interest in jazz and classical is nothing new--it's probably existed, to some degree, with every generation. Often, it's an image thing--classical, in particular, has the image of being for the highly cultured or whatever. My grandmother, for example, had no interest in either classical or jazz. I can remember her hearing me play a Mozart recording once when I was in high school, and she partly liked it. She asked what it was. I told her. She immediately lost interest. She wanted to hear something for "ordinary folk." I don't know what her feelings about jazz would be--but I do know that she would have a great deal of trouble accepting a black musician. The irony, I think, is that she did like some big band material that was probably influenced by jazz.