Many symphony orchestra's are funded at least in part by the tax payer.
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra where I live would have ceased to exist
a long time ago were it not for public funding.  Symphony orchestras are
also becoming like a lot of galleries and museums part of the public
relations arm of large corporations.  It is well known that Phillip
Morris has blackmailed various arts organizations it supports into oposing
anti-smoking bills.  I have sit and listen to ads for corporations when
I go to the symphony.  Generally, I support public funding and oppose
corporate involvement in the arts but as Lebrecht has pointed out, "star"
classical musicians making millions off of the public purse is disgusting.
Left to the "free" market, live classical music would not exist outside of
New York, London, Berlin, Vienna and Tokyo.  There is no demand for it.
The cheapest seat at the VSO is $8 in a theatre that seats 1,500.  Radu
Lupu came here a couple of years ago to perform the Brahms 1.  There was
800 people there at most.  Angela Hewitt and Valeri Spivakov have performed
here in recent weeks.  The theatre was half full.  This is in a city of
21/2 million people.  Public funding keeps ticket prices down so everyone
who wants to see a concert can.  Greater equality in musicians saleries
would be a good start at reviving classical music.  Symphonies are not
corporations nor should they be.

Sam Pawlett