My Mexican uncle Ted—for whom I was named—came from a poor family & never went to college. He was a sailor and died in a plane crash in his 20s. He was passionate about classical music and found liberation & transcendence in this music. To deny him this is ignorance & prejudice. https://twitter.com/amwilson_opera/status/1306242478002114561

Before he died, my uncle bought a piano, and left it with my parents—neither of them went to college too. I learned music on that instrument. He also left behind a copy of this book at his death, which I studied as a teen. Without these I could have never pursued my vocation.

At his death, my Mexican uncle Ted also owned hundreds of scores by Mozart, Haydn, etc.—he scrupulously saved money from his tiny salary as a sailor to buy them & they gave him great solace. The patronizing experts who object to this should say what music they'd allow him to hear