I recently went to see a production of Aida at the Royal Opera House which was being recorded for broadcast on Radio 3; there was a reverent silence as the strings opened the opera until, in the silence, an elderly woman’s voice rang out: “Is this my seat?”, earning a few fervent hushes from other audience members. Another silence and then: “Um...I don’t quite know where I am”, this time provoking both laughter and anger from those around her. So much for the flawless performance that we expect from modern recordings.

But it is this unexpected element that forms the most quirky and intriguing part of music: that which comes with live performance. The performance is, after all, the very essence of music itself, which seems to have been forgotten in the almost clinical age of the record. This aim to eliminate the live aspect of music almost entirely from the musical experience is indicative of the internet age, where recordings are available on demand, often for free, but is at the same time completely counter-productive, particularly for classical music.

The answer to this, I think, has to be found in closer relationship with the notes. Radio 3’s announcement that they will be broadcasting more live recordings in an attempt to boost ratings has to be a step in the right direction. But I do not believe that this can be enough to redeem classical music from the various stigmas that it bears. It certainly will not draw people not already predisposed to classical music to Radio 3 in the first place. One of the most powerful aspects of music is its potential for social cohesion, helping us to define who we are as well as the way we react to others, and this a crucial aspect that classical musicians seem to be overlooking: the ability to connect and interact with their audience.

A new take on an old theme

This is particularly important for classical music, which is considered by many to be detached, elitist, and unapproachable. The performers need to connect more immediately with their audience. Take Lang Lang as an example; whether you love or loathe him, he has managed to achieve worldwide notoriety reaching out to a wider, younger audience. This cannot be due to sheer technical virtuosity alone; pianists like Mark Andre-Hamelin have a technique that can easily rival Lang Lang’s. But the energy, charisma and interaction he brings to each performance is unquestionable, often stopping to address his audience. He makes the music more accessible, not by changing it, but by simply making himself more real and approachable. It is this, I think more than anything else, that has made Lang Lang the popular phenomenon that he is.

Classical artists can work with record labels for the advantage of both, by recognising this trend and embracing it. Just as authors give book signings, boosting book sales, there is no reason that musicians should not do a CD signing at record shops. The lure of not only having a personalised, signed item but being able to meet the artist in person would have the added bonus of encouraging CD sales. When Brian Cox did a book signing at Waterstone’s in Oxford, the queue stretched out along Broad Street, people queueing for hours in freezing temperatures to get their copy signed. And they were not just local; I spoke to one couple who had driven down from Manchester to give their young son a chance to meet the physicist. There is no reason why this principle should not apply to music as well; I am fairly certain that if artists did signings at, say, HMV, it would be met with a similar level of popular demand. (At which point, the removal of the label ‘specialist music’ to the classical section in HMV might help, it may as well read ‘elitist music’.) Other initiatives, such as being entered into a draw for free tickets to a concert when you buy a CD in-store, could also be introduced. Angela Hewitt was signing records after her recent Royal Festival Hall recital, and sure enough people bought the CDs; the same happened in Tunbridge Wells when Paul Lewis gave a post-recital record signing.

Of course it is not just signings that can bring the artist and their music closer to their audiences. Talks, open-air performances, workshops in schools, demos, and seminars where the emphasis is on interaction and public have a chance to question and talk to the artist (with CDs on sale) would all go towards boosting record sales and increasing the appeal of the artist in question, widening their audience. Education outreach programs in particular have the potential to vastly increase the number of people that classical music can reach, and yet these still appear to be few and far between, and those that are currently in operation do not receive the kind of publicity that is important to such a program. An institution such as the Proms has a great opportunity to reach out to younger audiences and does good work with the family music events and free introductory events. Other institutions would do well to follow on and expand upon their example. Highly discounted tickets for school groups to concerts would perhaps encourage schools to participate more with classical music establishments where price would perhaps otherwise be prohibitive. The Berlin Philharmonic has an excellent podcast service; if schools were allowed free subscription to this service it could open up accessibility to one of the world’s best orchestras. Establishments that are now facing increasing funding cuts, for example many London-based orchestras and the Royal Opera House, need increasingly active methods of self-promotion in order to ensure their survival and increase interest in their performances.

It is not enough to say that musicians should not have to be publicists as well. Classical musicians tend to hide behind the barrier of distance that seems to separate them and their audience, and unfortunately this is starting to show. It is not enough to simply produce records any more; the classical industry needs to broaden its horizons to compete with the constant publicity of the modern music sphere. The current trend seems to be to alter the music in some way, ‘modernising’ music to make it more accessible as Vanessa Mae and other groups such as Escala have done. But it does not need this. Lang Lang has proved as much. Musicians should have more faith in their audience, and invite them to share in their enthusiasm for the music that they love. Music is, after all, an inherently social art, and this needs to be embraced if classical music is to maintain sales, listeners, and widen their audience.