Founded in 1880 by philanthropist William Rockhill Nelson, the Kansas City Star has long been committed to the coverage of the performing arts. On June 16, 2008 it reversed that practice by eliminating the position of Classical Music and Dance Critic. It is our hope that this website and forum will help reverse that decision.

 

 

 

"Providing superior service means listening closely to our customers -- readers, subscribers and advertisers -- and dedicating ourselves to their success. We must anticipate their needs and then exceed their expectations."

Paul Horsley was appointed classical music critic of The Kansas City Star in February 2000. Before that he spent eight years as program annotator and musicologist for the Philadelphia Orchestra. He holds degrees in journalism and piano performance from Wichita State University and his Master's and Ph.D. in musicology from Cornell University. He served as music critic in Ithaca, NY, and at the Houston Press, and he was an assistant professor of music history at Louisiana State University. He has received research grants from the Fulbright Foundation and other groups. This summer was a New York Times Fellow at the American Dance Festival's Institute on Dance Criticism in Durham, N.C. He has written on music for Stagebill, The New York Times, Symphony Magazine, Chamber Music, and other publications. He loves Kansas City and just refinanced his Brookside bungalow.

great open letters

 

 

 

- Paul Horsley

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Last week, in an effort to shore up its sagging revenues, The Kansas City Star eliminated the position of classical music critic, and with it Paul Horsley.

 

Clearly, the management at The Star does not understand the vibrancy and importance the arts community has here in our community. Its action ill serves classical music and dance by not having a dedicated reporter covering that beat. As the Lyric Opera, Kansas City Ballet, and Kansas City Symphony anticipate performing in the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2010, this decision is tantamount to the Royals making it to the World Series, only to have all the local baseball reporters fired from the sports department.

 

Will you help support the Lyric Opera by writing a letter to the editor of The Star, as well as the Reader’s Rep and let them know that The Star has a responsibility to cover the full breadth of the vibrant cultural landscape of this community, including music and dance, with a dedicated, full-time critic?

 

All letters should be made very personal, and should not have the tone or feel of a form letter. When writing to The Star, be sure to let them know:

Whether you are a subscriber to the paper, and whether a lack of coverage of music and dance will impact your decision to renew your subscription to The Star;

 

• How the arts in Kansas City contribute $279 million annually in economic impact to the region, and a lack of coverage will have a direct and dramatic economic impact;

• How freelancer writers lack the ability to see the “whole picture” of music and dance in the community, and how a more limited view is a disservice to readers;

• How you use the arts coverage in the newspaper impacts your knowledge and support of Kansas City arts institutions;

• How diverse the readership of arts coverage is.