One thing this shutdown is really laying bare is which classical musicians come from families with gobs of money and resources and which ones don't.

In normal times, no one ever talks about this divide, because it's considered rude *to the ones with the money.*

And it doesn't necessarily break down along the the lines you'd expect. I know some top-tier soloists and conductors who are in dire straits right now because they *don't* come from money and they've been supporting their families for as long as they've been adults.

There's a tendency in this industry to assume that the people in the fanciest gowns and tuxes have the most resources, but those are costumes, not clothes.

I have so much personal baggage in this area that it's hard for me to talk deeply about it without getting hysterical, so I'll just say that this is a very complicated and confusing industry for anyone who doesn't have outside support and was fed on the myths of meritocracy.