Classical music and audience development - Exploring the viability of mobile apps in live classical music concerts to attract and engage young audiences

One of the discourses about the world of classical music explains how it is immersed in an audience crisis. During the last decade, the audiences have aged, classical music performances appear to encounter lower participation, and traditional values of classical music seem to be detached from the way of living in society nowadays. However, trends are emerging to break down the barriers between high-arts and low-arts and attract new audiences to live classical music concerts, aiming to make classical music accessible to everybody. This research delves into new practices and audience development practices focused on attracting and engaging with young audiences. Therefore, it reflects on how symphony orchestras and ensembles are including innovative practices, and how mobile apps is one of the tools starting to be included during the classical music concert despite the unacceptance of mobile phones in the concert hall. Thus, we consider the research question to what extent could the use of apps during the classical music concert could be a tool for audience development for young people between 18 and 34 years old? Firstly, the research aims to gather perspectives about the use of mobile apps in the classical music concert among young people with different frequencies of attendance to live classical music concerts. Motivations and barriers for attendance to live classical music concerts are also explored. The quantitative results show some problems and possibilities that mobile apps might present in live classical music concerts, being them a good introductory experience for new audiences yet regarded inappropriate to use. Secondly, interviews with management staff members and musicians from some symphony orchestras and ensembles aim to explore further the possibilities of mobile apps. Other successful alternatives to attract young people to classical music concerts are presented. It can be concluded that mobile apps that give information about the music are a tool that can be used in more informal settings of live classical music concerts, but there are better alternatives to attract and engage young audiences with classical music.