Reflections on Music

In this age of sound bites, downloads, and blending formats, what’s the future of classical music and critics? In the hour to come, during University of the Air, Anthony Tommasini—chief classical music critic for the New York Times—will share his experience and insights as a lifelong listener to classical music. How important is new classical music to the survival of the genre? How does a critic maintain neutrality when a performer is a friend’? And what does a critic have to say about his role in determining what’s good and what isn’t in a performance?