Sir, Neil Fisher states that the BBC’s new Classical Star series is a shot in the arm for classical music, rather than further dumbing-down of “serious” music (“The classical X-factory ”, Oct 15).
The programme may have made good documentary material, but it did something that no other reality show has yet done: commented on and criticised the lives of children. To portray someone under 16 who plays the clarinet to near-conservatoire level as weird, because of a quirky performance style, is clearly immoral.
Furthermore, “dumb down” it certainly did. The viewer was never allowed more than ten seconds of anyone’s performance before the judges passed comment — never allowing viewers any time to consider it for themselves. The music definitely took a back-row