In some countries, only few young people go to classical music concerts or plays. Why? Should they be encouraged to attend and learn more?

Different generations do have different musical tastes. In some countries, most young people tend to be less interested in classical music concerts or taking up theatrical performing arts. There are several reasons behind this trend and I believe that it is unnecessary to encourage youngsters to delve into classical music.

One of the primary reasons is that such type of music appears to be eccentric and unappealing. Famous composers, such as Bach or Mozart, tended to start their songs with a chorus, and refused to repeat it until the end. This denies people instant satisfaction but classical music lovers often say that it is worth the wait. Meanwhile, modern music tends to be simple and repetitive, and this constantly gives listeners a small dose of dopamine each time their favorite chunks are repeated. Given the catchy and arguably addictive nature of this music, it is understandable why youngsters have little desire for concerts with classical compositions. In addition, the increased media focus on rock and pop superstars aggravates the situation, making classical music managers have difficulty booking concerts for their artists. This leads to a reduction or outright cancellations of key concerts and fewer classical music programs across many countries, resulting in less opportunity for youngsters to join.

Differences in musical preference are fundamentally not a problem, and so it is not necessary to encourage young people to learn more about the genres of music they may otherwise dislike. This is because people naturally have a predilection for and associates themselves with the music that they grow up hearing. In fact, the majority of elderly people cannot stand heavy metal rock, which is currently prevailing amongst a large section of youngsters. This begs the question of why young generations, most of whom only listen to music for relaxation, should learn about the music of past generations.

In conclusion, several explanations could be given regarding the disinterest in classical music amongst young people, and I think this is a natural occurrence and they do not need to be motivated to equip themselves with knowledge about this discipline.