classical music

11 January 2014



I don't divulge much about what I do as a job/jobs or about my education on this blog. And I plan to keep it that way; it's simply a place I document the little things, not where I talk about my career aspirations or professional life.

However, one of my young piano students said something yesterday that really made me long to ask one simple question on here, reaching out to whoever is reading.

So, a young 11 year old girl said to me today (I honestly still cannot fathom how a person can be born in the year of 20-something. Mind boggling.) -

"I listen to classical music at home sometimes."
"Oh, that's great!"
"Yeah, because I want to be a surgeon one day, and all the best surgeons in the world listen to classical music when they're doing an operation. It's supposed to be good for your brain."

It made me chuckle. But, it also made me incredibly happy that there was at least a reason for her to want to listen to classical music.




It is and has always been a huge part of my life. And we have been told again and again, it's a dying art, young people don't bother going to concerts, they're not interested, etc. etc. and truly, I don't dismiss those comments. What teenager would choose a Beethoven symphony over a Taylor Swift/One Direction concert? Besides, it's played in some London tube stations to calm the rowdy youths and drunks and whatnot - hardly building itself an appealing reputation for the 21st century babies.

So really, my question out of pure curiosity is this: do you listen to classical music? Did you/do you learn an instrument? How do you perceive the particular genre?




21 comments:

  1. I do enjoy other genres of music however when I am feeling particularly stressed,angry,upset I find that it has a strangely calming effect on me. It may not be that popular but I think it is very healing :)

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    1. i think it's great that it has a good effect on people - serving a purpose is always important! x

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  2. I do! and often actually. As a singer with a classical background I find listening to classical music to be quite enjoyable. But I do think you're right in saying that many young people (I myself am in my twenties) don't really give classical music much thought. It is something that I would like to see change, as I think that classical music is something everyone could love, if they give it a chance.

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    1. i agree with you, people need to be exposed to it more in order for them to really explore it for themselves x

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  3. I do listen to classical music! I'm a big fan of the baroque era. With my dance background and education, classical music played a huge part in my training. Music history & dance history pretty much go hand in hand. My favorite choreographer is Mark Morris and he has/has a huge appreciation for using classical music in his pieces of work. Not sure if you've heard of him but I think you may like his work considering your passion for music :)

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    1. that is so great! i love the baroque period too. dance choreography is so fascinating to me and dance/music is definitely a longstanding relationship. x

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  4. Yes, yes, yes! I did so much music at school and really miss it now - can only dream of having a piano in my little flat! One day I'll take it up again, but for now I just keep dreaming of all the music I want to play. So great to hear that you play and enjoy it and are spreading it's love to others, so inspiring x

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    1. i hope you do get a chance to pick it up again - it's honestly never ever too late! x

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  5. My professor of electronics always did the same, classical music and ballet were his love and while i was studying i think he was one of the favorite professors almost to everybody. i think we trust more people who are in a constant search for beauty in life, through music or through something else, at least me. i don't have a great knowledge but really enjoy it. and since i really love cinematography, i specially love it in the movies. It s not a genre, but u know?:):) joe hisaishi, zbignew preisner, vangelis, ennio morricone, shigeru umebayashi, krzysztof komeda, armando trovajoli, john williams etc. Don't laugh:) xx

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    1. no laughs here!! E and I both love love love film music, we even incorporated it into our wedding table theme ;) x

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  6. I love classical music! I wish I played my piano more. I'm just as likely to listen to Radio 3 as Radio 1.. I like the pleasing neatness of baroque and any renaissance choral music.) I agree with you - anything that gets people listening to it!

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    1. i agree about baroque music - i have a soft spot for the era. i'm so glad to hear you love it! x

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  7. Oh I do love classical music, those beautiful songs evoke most lovely feelings!
    Instruments... I used to learn violin and piano, but it became such an awful memory and I am... ashamed!

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    1. time to make new memories perhaps..?? i have met a lot of adults who have told me they wished they had not stopped learning their instrument, and i aways tell them it's never too late to try again x

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  8. I listen to classical music on occasion, but I was brought up studying for ABRSM exams in various instruments, so I think because I was exposed to it at a young age I still enjoy it now. I also know it's really common amongst students to listen to it whilst working and revising, even those who don't have a musical background. People find it calming.

    B xx

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    1. yes i hear that a lot - it's also good for babies too i think! x

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  9. I've never learnt to play an instrument, and I've always regretted it. Reading music seems like a secret club to me, one I'd love to be a part of. Maybe when I've got a bit more money I'd like to learn the piano!

    I don't know if it'd be classed as classical music, but I love people along the lines of Ludovico Enuadi!

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    1. haha secret club - it won't take you long to join if you put your mind to it! x

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  10. I really hope the art of playing classical piano doesn't die out - though most youngen's may not prefer it to the top 40 stuff they listen to, when properly played, it is a medium that expresses more with no words than most of those pop/rap songs we hear on the radio nowadays. I wish I knew how to play the piano, I absolutely love listening to it and other classical music as well. It can be so moving and calming at the same time.

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  11. i do love listening to classical music now, but i didn't enjoy it when i was younger. i studied piano, oboe and clarinet, but it was really flute that i was seriously trained in. when i was young, i wanted to listen to all the cool songs that other "normal" kids listened to and i thought listening and playing classical music was a geeky thing. my brother on the other hand loved classical music and he learned trumpet as a hobby. it was always meant to be a hobby and not a serious thing because my parents were set on him being a computer engineer (he loved that too and he actually did become a software engineer!). i remember my brother was always hard on himself because he wanted to be first trumpet but was always second. one time he compared himself to salieri (insert chuckle) because he wanted to be good but he said he was never given the skill and talents for it. i look back at those days and wished i was a little bit more mature and stuck with it. and this post just reminded me, it was a family tradition to watch the new year's concert vienna philharmonic orchestra on new year's eve (we had one on LD disc). i should bring that tradition back :)

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  12. I LOVE classical music, but I would say it's more of an appreciation than it is I actually enjoy listening to it on a regular basis. Unfortunate, I know. I think what the composers did was just mind blowing and SO beautiful and I can recognize that with awe, but when given the choice I enjoy music I can sing along to haha. And I play the piano :]

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