Brain gain

The arrival of the composer Eric Whitacre and his family in London as permanent residents brings a ray of Californian sunshine to our cloud-bedraggled lives. American musicians who have chosen to move to Europe to work have always made an interesting group, headed by jazz players of the calibre of Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet. Of course they had reasons for seeking work elsewhere which do not apply to the very white Whitacre. But, given that at a casual glance the US appears to offer so much opportunity to everyone, why come all this way?

In Whitacre’s case I get the impression that he really likes the UK. Since he is probably the most listened-to composer of his generation, it doesn’t really matter where he puts pen to paper, meaning that the move must either be because he has had enough of long-distance flights, or, like Tom Lehrer, he is actually more celebrated here than there.