I'd be curious to know what is healthy about the state of classical music in the USA. I say this as a "reformed" concert goer, who realized that I'd heard most of what was worth hearing and that audiences seemed bound and determined to keep new music from gaining any traction. In short, I just got bored by the staid, blue-haired, candy rattling attendees who obviously started to lose it and wiggle and moan in their seats when anything was played that wasn't at least a century old.
I was at my best with all this when we had a conductor in Baltimore who liked to perform new works (I was present at several John Adams premieres) but realized that any concert had to be mainly pre-1900, perhaps with a new piece sandwiched into the zone prior to the intermission. He had to be sure to leave them smiling with some Beethoven or Mozart. He eventually left, however, and things went back to traditionalism, a Russian guy who didn't speak English, had a translator to speak to the orchestra and hired a trainee to perform anything newer than The Nutcracker. He was popular. I don't understand how any art can survive with an attitude like this.
There's a death spiral going on here, with conservative audiences demanding old music and this seems to have left composers as mainly academics who don't write to please an audience that is gone already. I thing the genre has about 20 years left in it unless they can find new music that attracts audiences. They will have to get their hands dirty compared to Beethoven and Haydn, but they might save their jobs.
I have to say, that I think the BSO have a good selections on offer. Your Music director is Marion Alsop. She has given some fine concerts with a mix of new and old. We hear the BSO quite often on Performance Today
http://performancetoday.publicradio.org/, and sometimes on
Symphony Cast.
I have to say that up here in Minnesota I would say things are very healthy.
Osmos Vanska programs as lot of new music with quite frequent premiers. He chooses wisely.
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra has particularly imaginative programming, and so does the Minnesota Opera. In addition Minnesota supports an astonishing number of fine choral groups, The rose Ensemble just to mention one. They and guest such as Voces 8 and the Tallis Scholars can regularly fill St Mary's Basilica even in cold mid winter.
So I don't find things are a as bad as you make out. I would suggest you start streaming MPR and especially listen to programs put out by American Public Media, get get a pulse on what is going on.
For a real feast the
Proms (I know it is London UK) start July 16, with multiple concerts seven days a week for two months. You will get a highly eclectic set of programs, is you stream from the BBC the concerts as they become available.
If you follow these links I think you will be amazed at how vibrant the classical scene is here there and everywhere.
To top it off there has never been such a plethora of diverse talent as is on stage today. It is truly awe inspiring.
So I find your analysis well wide of the mark.