A new survey by the UK's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra reveals that 84 percent of those questioned would like to attend an orchestral concert
Orchestral concerts are often regarded as elitist entertainment, shunned by a large proportion of the population. But people are much more fond of this kind of musical performance than you might think, according to a new survey by the UK's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The survey was conducted by the London-based institution among 2,000 adults living in the UK. It reveals that 84% of those questioned would like to attend an orchestral concert. This compares with 79% in 2018, when the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted a previous audience survey.
This spike in interest in the classical repertoire can be explained, first and foremost, by a broadening of the audience for orchestral concerts. In fact, more attendees are newcomers to classical music (54%) than established regulars (37%) nationwide.
Several factors contribute to this shift, including the popularity of classical music online. Internet users are increasingly using pieces from the classical repertoire as the soundtrack to videos they post on YouTube or TikTok. The #classicalmusic hashtag, which has racked up more than 4.7 billion views on the social network, is proof of the craze.
Pop culture also plays an important role in introducing more and more people to classical music. A large number of hit video games, movies and TV series feature works from this musical genre. Others, such as "Westworld" or "Bridgerton" prefer to revisit pop and rock hits with a classical twist, ideal for reaching a young audience who might otherwise never have shown any interest in classical music.