News and Press

• Three quarters (73%) of British adults have an active relationship with orchestral music, rising to 83% of those aged under 25.
• Almost half (46%) of under 25s now listen to orchestral music via streaming, compared with 15% of over 65s.
• Live concerts remain the cornerstone of orchestral engagement, with a quarter of young people attending a concert when possible
• Under 25s twice as likely than the national average to be learning a musical instrument, while one in eight would say they have a ‘good knowledge’ of the genre.

Almost three quarters (73%) of British adults have an active relationship with orchestral music – from going to concerts, streaming music online to learning an instrument – according to new research by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). However, amongst those under 25, the proportion rose to 83%, dispelling notions that orchestras are the preserve of older people.

If music is a universal language, then what better musician to make it than one who is genuinely a citizen of the world? Domingo Hindoyan is such a person. The violinist and conductor was born in Venezuela to a Venezuelan father and Syrian mother. He trained in Europe and today lives in Switzerland with his Bulgarian wife, the opera singer Sonya Yoncheva.

“I am a musician of the world but it comes at a price – endless hours spent travelling!” he says.

USA TO BECOME THE TOP OVERSEAS MARKET FOR UK ORCHESTRAS AFTER BREXIT

Supporters of orchestral music believe the USA will become the top location for UK orchestras to tour in the years following Brexit. At a time when Britain needs to forge new international relationships with non-EU countries, new research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) reveals that 75% of music enthusiasts believe there are exciting opportunities for the UK’s leading ensembles to expand beyond the EU and to act as cultural ambassadors for Britain on the world stage.