• Six in seven (85%) British households with extra time on their hands planning to broaden musical horizons, with a third of these saying they want to discover more Classical music
• One in five (19%) people under 35 years of age planning on learning more about classical music, with this group twice as likely to have bought a musical instrument to learn
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sees online traffic almost treble since the start of Coronavirus lockdown
• Orchestra announces in association with the Southbank Centre its streamed performance in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and YouTube this Wednesday

With the country in lockdown facing months of time at home in isolation, new research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has revealed that most households are using this time productively to learn about the music they love. The results showed that 85% of people said they planned to discover new music during the period of coronavirus isolation, with nearly a third of these people (30%) planning to learn more about orchestral music, opera and chamber music.

By age group, one in five people (19%) under-35 said they wanted to learn more about the genre. This group was also twice as likely to have bought a musical instrument or sheet music to learn as any other group (12% vs 6% average), while 14% had bought music to listen to (downloads, CDs or vinyls). Meanwhile, over a third of those in isolation over 65 (35%) said they were planning to spend time learning more about classical music.

The research also found that men were more likely to be learning more about classical music than women (33% vs 27%), while the East of England and West Midlands were the regions most likely to be discovering new classical music to listen to (37% and 34% respectively).

Since the start of the Coronavirus lockdown, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s website has seen increased traffic of 290% with engagement on its social media channels up 755%. As part of its newly launched programme, #RPOatHome (https://www.rpo.co.uk/rpo-at-home), the Orchestra is announcing its first streamed performance with its newly appointed Music Director Vasily Petrentro this Wednesday (8 April, 4pm – available for 24 hours) who will be conducting Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben. The performance is being broadcast in partnership with Google Arts &Culture, YouTube and in association with Southbank Centre.

James Williams, Managing Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra commented: “In these unprecedented times, music is often seen as a good tonic to cope with stress and uncertainty. The silver lining to our current situation is that with all this additional time comes a great opportunity to learn more about the music people love. The good news is that orchestral music is a rich pool to dip into, there is so much to explore, and it will continue to surprise and delight for far longer than the time we will be in isolation.

“While live concerts are off for the time being, we’ve found other ways to ensure anyone can keep enjoying the amazing sound of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, anywhere in the world. Next Wednesday, we’re delighted to be working with Google Arts & Culture and YouTube in association with the Southbank Centre in broadcasting a very special performance of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, led by our Music Director Designate, August 2020, Vasily Petrenko. We hope it brings comfort to those that need it, as well as a reminder of wonderful performances to come once Coronavirus isolation is over.”

YouTube Premiere Concert Details 
Strauss' Ein Heldenleben
Conductor: Vasily Petrenko, Music Director Designate from August 2020
Wednesday 8 April from 4pm BST on the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s YouTube channnel
Follow the link and set a reminder to be notified when it goes live for 24 hours only: https://youtu.be/l1bon_LWTM8
Experience the magnificence of orchestral music with #RPOatHome and our partners Google Arts & Culture and YouTube. #StayHome #WithMe

Genres people are planning to learn more about

For more information, further data tables or to arrange interviews, contact:

Guy Bellamy / Jim Follett - elephant communications

Tel: 07766 775216 or 07908 551571
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Notes to editor
The research was conducted by Maru/Blue in March for the RPO among a nat. rep. sample of 2,135 adults. The research was carried out between 20-23 March 2020.