The widely accepted stereotype of classical music today tends to create an image of an older man in a powdered wig, pondering upon their pianos or violins. Given this, would you expect people under 35 to be more likely to listen to classical music than their parents?
I wouldn’t have either.
In a survey of 2000 individuals, approximately two-thirds of those under 35 regularly listened to classical music, an increase of 6% since 2018. This statistic is heavily attributable to technology. Classical music, which used to be expensive to learn and listen to, is now more accessible thanks to streaming services like YouTube. Streaming services can also offer curated playlists, making it easier for those new to classical music to experiment with pieces and discover songs they enjoy. Furthermore, video channels such as TwoSet Violin, which make comedic videos centered around classical music and performance, have attracted millions of viewers, encouraging many to discover new pieces.
Waverly Alexander, a high school violinist and member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO), mentions that classical music is important today because “it engages areas of your brain that other subjects typically do not,” and that the habits associated with learning such pieces “can be applied in various circumstances.” Many enjoy listening to classical music for focus, relaxation, and ambience. As a 2024 study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign confirms, classical music helps relax the nervous system, amplify mood, and slow down age-related cognitive decline.
As a child, listening to the grand symphonies I had only played in simplified arrangements, I imagined energetic audiences and passionate orchestras, exuding joy and vibrancy. As I’ve gotten older, playing more pieces from the “Romantic” era in the 1800s, rife with melodies indicative of rise and ruin, I’ve imagined scenes from my favorite movies and artworks, rushing to life before my eyes as I play. I’ve realized that the music that is typically portrayed as one-dimensional is, in fact, a mirror reflecting emotions, enabling people to feel beyond words.
Alexander states that she usually listens to classical music whenever she has “very strong or complex feelings about something that songs with lyrics typically struggle to encompass.” Her favorite pieces include the Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov, the Sibelius Violin Concerto op. 47, and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, “because of the memories [she associates] with them.”
Today, I also listen to curated playlists on YouTube while studying, which showcase lesser-known pieces to create unique ambiences, such as a philosopher in a library in autumn or a university scholar from the baroque period (don’t ask me why these themes work – they just find a way to come together nicely). Simply exploring such websites has introduced me to new composers, such as Erik Satie, who was the first classical composer to devise what he called furniture music, paving the way for today’s background and ambient music, or Barbara Strozzi, a successful female composer in the 1600s who composed the most secular pieces of her time. In today’s world, where music is widely accessible, it is worthwhile to explore how technology enables us to glimpse the past.
As Kate Shelley, a violin player, explains that classical music to her was “an acquired taste,” she began her interest in such pieces after she realized that “it reveals the way people thought and lived in earlier centuries,” with composers’ writing making “their experiences come alive in their music.”
Aside from spending hours curating and sampling from Spotify playlists to create the perfect “vibe,” many teenagers also find alternative ways to engage with classical music. Sophia Moira-Chauvel, a high school student in ASYO, mentions how she “[has] taken violin lessons since the age of 4, and [has] participated in chamber groups and orchestras.” She also elaborates on the importance of classical music, stating that “many people go listen to classical music concerts all around the world, year-round.”
For listeners who may not be drawn to classical music, a closer examination of the classical influences in popular music can reveal unexpected connections. “Memories” by Maroon 5, for example, is based on Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”. Classical music’s modern influence is worldwide, too, with K-pop hit “Shutdown” playing Paganini’s “La Campanella” in the background.
