If your goal were to introduce classical music to a teenager or young adult unfamiliar and uninterested in it?

Question

How would you best go about accomplishing this goal?

Also, what specific selections of music might you introduce them to in order to convince them they were missing out on something of greatness that would immeasurably enrich their lives?

If you like, you might group these selections under categories such as Best for Children, Best for Teenagers, Best for Young Adults; or something like Vocal Music, Orchestral Music; or Symphonic, Chamber Music; Solo Music; Operatic, etc.

Or just approach this question however you think best. I'm open to all suggestions here.

Answer 1

If a teenager is uninterested in listening to classical music, you can always trick them into listening to it.

Step 1.
Go buy the Walt Disney film Fantasia. It is a movie even the young at heart would enjoy watching and the music played throught the film are classical pieces....

Johann Sebastian Bach — Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 (Stokowski's own transcription for symphony orchestra) (abstract images)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a (a variety of dances, just as in the original, but danced by animated fairies, mushrooms, fish, etc.)
Paul Dukas — L'apprenti sorcier (English title: The Sorcerer's Apprentice, with Mickey Mouse in the role of the apprentice)
Igor Stravinsky — The Rite of Spring (early history of the planet Earth, dinosaurs and their extinction)
Ludwig van Beethoven — 6th symphony in F, Op.68 "Pastorale" (centaurs, fauns, and other creatures of classical mythology lounge about, cavort, fall in love, etc.)
Amilcare Ponchielli — La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours. Also a ballet in the original, performed in the film by elephants, ostriches, hippos, and alligators.
The last part of the film links:
Modest Mussorgsky — Night on Bald Mountain (the nocturnal demon Chernabog summons from their graves empowered restless souls, until driven away by the sound of a church bell); to
Franz Schubert — Ave Maria

Step 2

Take them to see ballet companies that put on shows in your town.
Swan Lake and The Nutcracker would really keep a young adult interested and in this way you'll be doing a double favour to their senses both optical and acoustical.


Step 3

Christmas is comming up. There are classical Christmas songs that are very nice to listen to.

Step 4

Buy special packages of classical music that I am sure are available in your nearest music store. Straus is really a nice introduction to classical music as it can also be danced to. Also the Four Seasons by Vivaldi is nice as well.

Step 5

I leave best for last and that is YOU listen to classical music often enough and at a time that you know your young one is listening. This is sort of "music washing their brain" and they will become familiar even if they don't admit they like this type of music.

Happy listenings!!! :-)

Answer 2

Sounds like you are looking for some “practical” suggestions – I suppose I can best summarize my pragmatic ideas on the subject, as follows:

1- First help them appreciate the lives and times of the classical composers. Many of those musicians lived incredibly colorful and interesting lives - full of personal, spiritual, socio-political, and historical ups and downs. You can do this through books (too many to list here) and movies (lots of wonderful choices out there, such as: Amadeus, Immortal Beloved, etc.), before you even introduce them to a single piece of classical music. Once the young person establishes that emotional contact and starts identifying with the artists and the nuances of their era, the rest is bound to come much easier. Let the teenager "feel" the passion in Tchaikovsky’s spirit, or the genius in Bach’s, Mozart's and Beethoven’s characters, for instance, prior to introducing him/her to any of their music. Tell them, for example, that people like Mozart and Beethoven were in fact the greatest rock stars of their time (they should be able to relate to that easily). In all, you must help pump some real flesh and blood into those emotionally distant, heavy marble and bronze busts that today’s teenagers associate with the great classical musicians.

2- Once you have brought those characters back to life again, then start introducing the music. But, try to go easy with those greenhorns. Begin by giving them a piecemeal taste of the “shorter” and “more melodic” selections (or the more melodically dynamic sections of longer works) – bite size pieces that their shorter attention span, overactive lifestyles, and developing palates can easily appreciate/accommodate / digest. From there, just keep building on that basic strategy by gradually introducing longer and more sophisticated pieces. Never be condescending or forceful about your approach – never alienate them; try to always make it a fun-filled experience. Who knows, in time they might even become interested enough to voluntarily ask you to take them to a classical concert or even an opera or two. You know you have been successful, if they actually go out and spend their money on a Classical CD. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Some trance, techno and house songs incorporate classical music and mix it with contemporary beats - I know many teenagers fall in love with this type of music without even realizing that the predominant melody they'rs listening in these songs is classical - I think this is the best way to go about it because teens are drawn to anything that's edgy, hip, and mainstream. Try downloading a song by PPK, called "resurrection." It has a classical melody undertone in it along with techno. Also, you can expose them to other music that is close to classical in a way, like ambient, chillout, soundcape - a lot of very good songs in these genres have a classical-like melody to them, so once you can get a teenager or young adult to like this type of music, it makes it easier for them to make the transition and embrace classical music because it will be similar in a way. Go to limewire.com where you can download any songs you want for free. Also, if you go to amazon.com and select "music" and put in a selection of the classical music you would like to introduce to a young adult/teenager, you will be shown a selection of other similar music, after you keep on clicking on "similar music," eventually you will get to something that is mostly classical, but presented in a way to appeal to a younger fan base. Good luck to you - with all the raunchy lyrics and mindless songs out there these days, it pays to expose young adults to meaningful music.

Answer 4

I have introduced my kids to many different kinds of music... from classical to blues to country to rock. To get them to appreciate classical, one night during a drive I started playing Handel's Water Music. At first they mumbled and groaned, but I told them to listen to the music and look around. The flashing lights on stop lights, the cars passing by, the people on the street... I showed them how they fit into the music. That the world was a symphony. They then began pointing out other things that fit into it: a flashing sign, a leaf blowing in the street, a lot of different things... It became fun. They even have their own favorites now, from Beethoven, Handel, Liszt, Wagner. You have to make it relevant to them. I'm proud to say that they all have an appreciation for all kinds of music,,, Except they still don't like my Celtic music, lol.

Answer 5

There is a wonderful movie titled "Mr. Holland's Opus." It stars Richard Dreyfus's as a high school music teacher. The movie spans years of his life as a teacher and his relationship with his son. It is poignant, moving, funny and an excellent vehicle for music appreciation. Watch it with your teen and then introduce classical music and compare the sounds with modern music. They are bound to learn and appreciate the classics with this simple method. At worst, you will have enjoyed an excellent movie.

Answer 6

When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher introduced us to classical music by using it as a backdrop for other activities - the one that is most vivid in my mind is his use of Rachmaninoffs' CONCERTO IN E MINOR, playing softly, as he read us Poes' story, THE TELL-TALE HEART. I always believe he let appreciation for the classical genre 'sneak' up on us.

He used the same approach with other types of music. As a result, I was one of the few teenagers in my groups who had a collection of music that included everything from Mozart to Etta James to Hank Williams to the Sex Pistols. I will always remember this particular teacher with great fondness.

Answer 7

Try to convince them to try it out. Like playing an instrument. At first I wasn't interested in classical music at all, but then my parents thought that I should play the piano, so I did. And I just thought more and more of it. Because when you play it yourself, you sorta feel more for it, if you can say it like that. And now I love listening to classical music...!

Answer 8

Well, try Berlioz Symphony Fantastique, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, or Orff's Carmina Burana. Those are all interesting and fun pieces.

Answer 9

I've always loved classical music and opera, because my mother always listened to it. So I've been raised on it.

Try introducing them to Andrew Lloyd Webber. He combines classical music and rock flawlessly. I've always loved him.

Answer 10

there are metal or goth music groups dat incorporate clasical music or clasical instruments to their music dis groups are:
apocaliptica, afterforever, epica, naio ssaion, the albun s&m by .
era is a new age group also incorporates calsical music thers aloso the song "gangstas paradice" by coolio dat is rap it has clasical music the movie elephant by gus van sat about the columbine masacre
has the song fur elise by mosart.
I didn`t like the song fur elise but after i saw the movie i like it allot