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Classical music is regarded as an exquisite art form reserved for the cultural elitists. As a matter of fact, it’s getting more and more accessible to the general public. The prices for classical records are surprisingly low in London. You could get a CD of the Three Tenors’ 1990 Rome Concert at 50 pence in any London record stores. And a ticket to a classical concert at a major London venue even costs less than that of a Chelsea football match or a blockbuster Hollywood film.  

But the sales of classical music have been disappointing in the UK, a country home to the world’s many well-known classical labels. According to BPI figures, the sales of classical music fell by nearly 20 percent in 2013. The same downward trend continued in 2014. And the market share of classical music hovers around three percent, less than one tenth of the pop music share.  

In order to decipher the elements involved with the sharp drop, I talked to industry insiders, music critics and classical musicians for their perspectives on the toughening market environment. These people include Gennaro Castaldo, Director of Communications for the BPI, the British recording industry’s trade association, Martin Cullingford, Editor and Publisher of Gramophone, Mark Ernesti, Head of Professional Development of the Royal Academy of Music, and Shirley Thompson, the first female composer who has written a symphony in Europe in the past 40 years, as well as Belle Chan, a young classical pianist with amazing talent and music flair.

These interviews have been transformed into a radio documentary titled The Classical Dilemma. Here is the trailer of the documentary.

Here is an excerpt of Gennaro Castaldo’s analysis about the decline of classical music sales.

Here is an excerpt of Martin Cullingford’s analysis about the inadequacy of media coverage for classical music.

 

Special thanks for Belle Chen, Dr. Shirley Thompson and Glauco for allowing me to use your wonderful tracks in the documentary. The sample tracks that are used to enhance the interviewees’ points are listed below.  

Recording from Belle Chen:

Alberto Ginastera-No.2_Danza De La Moza Donosa_From Danzas Argentinas(Live)

The Opening_Francis Poulenc_Intermezzo No. 1  

Recording from Shirley Thompson:

Location, Location, Location (Movement 2)

New Nation Rising (Movement 4)  

Recording from Glauco Alves: Invisible soul    

Here is the link to the documentary in its entirety on my soundcloud account: