Sarah M. Price (University of Sheffield), ‘Crisis or Evolution? The Continuing Challenge of Finding Audiences for Classical Music’

Classical music organisations in the UK often come under fire for attracting a fairly homogenous audience, since the majority of attenders for traditional symphony concerts are often older, white, well-educated, and middle class. In an era where public funding for the arts is focussed on inclusion and diversity, it can be a struggle to prove the continued relevance of classical concerts. The ageing and possible decline of concert audiences has led some to announce a ‘crisis’ in classical music. On the other hand, concern for the future of the art form has arguably been there since its inception, with Charles Rosen describing the “death” of classical music “its oldest continuing tradition”. Is classical music in danger of being relegated to history? Or does it remain relevant music for the contemporary world? In this talk, I explore the current state of audiences for classical music in the UK, sharing both causes for concern and reasons to be hopeful.

No prior registration necessary.

Login information for these events via the CIDRAL email-list, contact: david.alderson@manchester.ac.uk for further details.

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