I don't need anymore explaining. Classical Music as it stands right now is not popular with the average middle class Joe.
I've seen statements like this a lot - but are there actual data available? Does a larger percentage of the population of these countries listen to classical music and/or go to concerts compared to say Europe and the USA?But there's still hope: in Japan, S Korea, Taiwan, China and other parts of the Orient, classical music is highly valued and sought out.
Spot on.When I was young (the 70s and 80s) classical music was certainly being marketed as accessible to everyone. My first proper introduction to classical music was through the widely advertised CD compilation "The Classic Experience" of 1988. Then there was the Three Tenors in 1990... The UK's first commercial radio station, Classic FM, launched in 1992 to much success and now has about 6 million listeners, which sounds impressive until you realise that means 90% of the country doesn't listen to it. Plus its playlist consists of only that portion of the classical repertoire that won't frighten off a general audience.
The average Joe is getting on just fine without classical music - and, realistically, vice versa.
Streaming numbers can be misleading since listening to ten seconds of a track would count. Which is why data on purchasing patterns are a more reliable indicator of actual support. Also sites like Spotify have curated albums such as "Classical Music for Studying ... Reading ... When It's Raining", etc. that infuriate me when I'm searching for a composer's music but must be designed for the "Average Joe."Classical music is becoming a growing streaming market according to this Forbes article; reaching a share of 32%.
=> https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissamdaniels/2019/07/22/how-classical-music-is-becoming-the-next-emerging-streaming-market/?sh=797a479c2894
statistic =>
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This 2019 abc.net article is even more optimistic => "The study found that 35% of adults listened to classical music. Classical music was the fourth most popular music genre, with more fans than R&B or hip hop."
=> https://www.abc.net.au/classic/read-and-watch/news/young-large-audience-for-classical-music/11418000
By force or what?The atonal/serial nonsense should just be stopped.
In the US, at least where I live, anything relating to the fine arts isn't really a requirement until you're like age 14 in high school. And even then the only thing you need is a year of any fine art, be it be classical music, piano, band, choir, dance.Appreciating classical music seems to be closesly connected with respecting culture in general, which can be effectively taught. I cannot comment on the education system in the US or elsewhere, but at least here we are taught music theory and classical music and jazz history since middle school for many years. The best schools in the country are actually old and historic public schools, making any kind of social class distinction rather unimportant. I think social class isn't even a massive game-changer in our contemporary world where most people in the Western countries at least have access to Youtube and streaming services. Of course, being from a well-to-do family might increase your chances, but it's by no means a requirement and most definitely not a guarantee. You don't have to be part of the upper-middle class or social elite to be exposed to classical music. Classical music fans and musicians should also get rid of the uppity stereotype that classical music carries - the very stereotype that classical music is "elitist."
I think that people should simply be exposed to classical music as early as possible, and classical music has to make itself accessible to general public, not only an erudite musical elite who enjoys atonality and contemporary avant-gardism. I got more deeply interested in classical music after watching the VPO New Year concert on TV. People should simply be exposed to that kind of easily accessible classical music more frequently than once a year.