A new research report in the journal Cultural Trends shows that while more and more young people are listening to classical music, less and less are attending classical concerts. Coupled with the statistic that there was also a decline in classical concert attendance among ethnic minority audiences it makes classical concert audiences older and whiter. And perhaps most worrying for the industry is the finding that younger listeners were not picking up the habit of going to classical concerts as they grew older.
The decline is despite news that 40% of 18-24 year olds have tuned into classical radio stations in the last year – recent statistics also shows Classic FM was attracted an increasingly large youth audience. The report deduces that it is the formality and perceived elitism of concert settings that was putting audiences off more than the music being played.
The study's co-author Bonita Kolb, associate music professor at Long Island University, New York told the BBC: "Classical music is in danger of becoming a fly trapped in amber - decorative but of interest only to an ageing part of society." But there is split opinion amongst the classical community who worry that attempts to make concerts more accessible or popular merely makes the industry more commercial and ‘dummed down’. But a spokesperson for the BBC Proms was keen to stress their formula seemed to work: “With the cheap tickets and more informal atmosphere, there's a perception that the Proms is fun. We've been making efforts to attract younger audiences through aspects of the programming - but the core classical repertoire at the Proms still appeals to younger people."