LISTEN UP

In flatly stating in his Jan. 8 letter that KUSC has “stopped broadcasting the performances of major American orchestras,” Alan R. Coles clearly isn’t listening to the station. If he was, he would be hearing a lot of music performed by leading American orchestras throughout the nation as well as in the Greater Los Angeles area.

During December he could have heard concerts by the Baltimore, San Francisco, Atlanta and Pittsburgh orchestras and a “Live From Lincoln Center” simulcast with KCET-TV, as well as special New Year’s Day concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic and Japan’s NHK Symphony.

And if he tunes in this month, he’ll hear the start of the 26-week concert seasons by both the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. We are proud to add to that roster fine local orchestras such as the Long Beach Symphony, the Pacific Symphony and the Pasadena Symphony, whose 1994-95 seasons we are airing.

Mr. Coles is obviously not aware that funding for broadcasts of the New York Philharmonic, L.A. Philharmonic, Boston Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra has been withdrawn, and those orchestras are no longer syndicated for broadcast. This dismal picture appears only to be getting worse as corporate America and the federal government reduce support for the arts in the face of other priorities.

WALLACE A. SMITH

President and General Manager

USC Radio