Abstract
This thesis examines how changes in the composition of classical music institutions’ funding bases in the 1980s and 1990s shaped their programming priorities and institutional behavior. Through two case studies—one focused on the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra’s “In Unison” program and the other focused on Sybil Harrington’s philanthropic support of the Metropolitan Opera—it explores how individual and institutional funders used legal, financial, and symbolic mechanisms to exert influence over the music presented on symphonic and operatic stages. The first chapter argues that the Saint Louis Symphony’s community engagement efforts in the 1990s were shaped by the priorities of its public and private funders, particularly those promoting “neoliberal multiculturalism.” The second chapter examines Harrington’s use of restricted gifts, donor agreements, and social networking to promote traditional 18th- and 19th-century European repertoire. Together, these case studies highlight the extent to which classical music programming decisions are mediated by philanthropic agendas and show how scholars might study cultural patronage in recent decades, even in the absence of institutional transparency. Drawing from traditional archives, as well as court filings and press accounts, this thesis argues that understanding classical music institutions’ artistic output requires close attention to the funding structures that underwrite it.
Committee Chair
Alexander Stefaniak
Committee Members
Patrick Burke, Lauren Eldridge Stewart
Degree
Master of Arts (AM/MA)
Author's Department
Music
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-2025
Language
English (en)
Recommended Citation
Dykes, Skyler E., "Two Case Studies of American Classical Music Patronage in the 1980s and 1990s" (2025). Arts & Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 3648.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/3648