Lady Smith OBE: In defence of 'elite'

Having read Andrew Mellor’s Long View, Elitism State of Mind, I feel it is important to point out what ‘elite’ really means in terms of supreme talent and ability, separate from the damaging and limiting concept of 'elitism'. The use of the word ‘elite’ has been corrupted by its association with elitism to imply a snobbish exclusivity that limits access to classical music, whose supporters and participants are somehow grouped in enclaves of wealth and privilege.

‘Elite’ is a wonderful and useful word. Football stars are elite athletes, Nobel-prize winners are elite achievers, and classical musicians are elite performers by virtue of the quality of their work. There can’t be a single student at our leading conservatoires who couldn’t count themselves amongst the elite musicians of their age and accomplishment. If they are ‘elite’ in the derogatory sense so commonly used, why do so many of them need scholarships? Why will most of them never earn an income in any way commensurate with the effort and the talent necessary to achieve their position? 

‘Elite’ should be a goal, an ambition. To be part of an elite should be the ultimate accolade. It is dispiriting to make it sound as though one should be ashamed of being part of an elite group, and depressing that our potential audience should lack the ambition to join the elite.