How relevant is classical music today? The genre seems in danger of becoming nothing more than a hobby for the social elite. Yet Kent Nagano has another world in mind – one where everyone has access to classical music. In Classical Music the famous classical com- poser and conductor tells the deeply personal story of his own engagement with the masterpieces and great composers of classical music, his work with the world’s major orchestras, and his tireless com- mitment to bringing his music to everybody. Nar- rating his first childhood encounters with music’s power to overcome social and ethnic boundaries, he celebrates an art form that has always taken part in debates about human values and societal developments. The loss of classical music, he argues, not only would impoverish society from a cultural perspective but would rob it of inspira- tion, wit, emotional depth, and a sense of com- munity. Getting to grips with classical music’s existential crisis, Nagano contends that it is too crucial to humanity’s survival to be allowed to disappear from our everyday reality. In this moving autobiography, Kent Nagano makes a compelling plea for classical music that is as exhilarating as it is thought-provoking. “A book full of philosophical and political reflec- tions that will fascinate all those who like to think about the role of music and musical institutions in our society … A must-read for all actors in the music world and a source of enrichment and reflection for the music lover.” Caroline Rodgers, Scena “A tribute to the music teachers who trained Nagano, but [also] a precious reflection on the teaching of music, and even, more generally, on the teaching of the arts and humanities.” Didier Delsart, Huffington Post Kent Nagano is an American conductor, composer, and opera administrator. He is music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Hamburg State Opera. Inge Kloepfer is a prize-winning and bestselling author and journalist writing for Germany’s leading papers. She lives in Berlin. 5 M Q U P S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 S P E C I F I C AT I O N S April 2019 -5,7a755pl7lnph7, 4phi-lv bAU1 4s-i-lv Dc1 kssi-- $.9ru n B - s,,66 0g99T omot.oN.0 M U S I C Classical Music Expect the Unexpected kent nagano with inge kloepfer A passionate appeal from an acclaimed artist for the relevance of classical music in today’s torn world.