RPO publishes optimistic annual report

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has today published its annual report on engagement with orchestral music. Embracing the future with confidence: The evolution of the orchestral audience in the digital age explores evolving audience demographics in the context of technological advancements and significant trends in the orchestral music landscape from 2018 to 2023.

The report identifies a marked increase across the last five years in the number of people that would like to experience an orchestral concert, rising from 79% in 2018 to 84% in 2023. It also showed that newcomers to the concert hall now outnumber the established audience, with 54% of research respondents being new enthusiasts versus 31% identifying as long-time classical music fans.

RPO managing director James Williams explained: ‘During the last five years of our tracking research, we can see the overall uplift in engagement with more people listening to orchestral music as part of their everyday routines, [this] signals a deeper integration of this genre into the personal lives of individuals. The change in consumption habits reflects the evolving relationship between the audience and performers, transcending the confines of concert halls into the realm of everyday life. To be clear, this does not represent any form of dilution or a move away from the concert hall. In fact, the more that people start journeys of orchestral discovery outside the hall, the more likely people are to attend a concert.’

New technology is also impacting the way audiences listen, with two thirds of adults (64%) reporting that music streaming sites have fundamentally changed their relationship with music. For classical genres, however, the advent of streaming brings a new set of challenges as streaming platforms and algorithms are usually designed for popular music. RPO’s research found that only 1% of orchestral fans trust algorithms for their music choices.

Williams confirmed the RPO takes a less prescriptive approach to curating the listener experience: ‘A noteworthy finding from our latest research is that between 10-20% of all respondents said they would look to experience traditional repertoire as part of a broader concert mix. Our task as an orchestra is not to prescribe what people should listen to, rather to nurture a journey of discovery – and that’s exactly what the RPO is aiming to achieve through its diverse range of programming. These audiences – if supported properly – will start musical journeys that fire their curiosity to explore different styles of orchestral music including the core symphonic canon. The more people engage, the more they will want to discover.’

Streaming is also affecting the way audiences engage with live performance, with 16% of people saying they are continuing to stream live sets online even after the pandemic. This is prompting the adoption of new immersive technology: around one in 10 young people surveyed confirmed they are already engaging with technology like augmented or virtual reality as a part of their musical engagement.

Williams said: ‘The advent of new technologies where you can experience music from home, or while travelling, or wherever else, have helped not hindered live performance ticket sales. Technology, used in the right way, has the potential to broaden the audience, deepen people’s engagement with music, enhance the experience, and make music more accessible, particularly for people living outside of major conurbations or who have disabilities. The challenge for the industry is to harness these technological advancements in a way that respects and enhances the artistic integrity of the music, whilst meeting the ever-growing expectations of the audience.’

The rise of new technology in the classical sphere is matched by growing enthusiasm for rethinking the traditional concert format. Concerts presenting music from musicals, film, video game and TV soundtracks, pop crossovers and family-friendly formats have grown in popularity since 2018, and in Embracing the future with confidence, 60% of ‘orchestral enthusiasts’ who responded said they can envisage a completely different concert experience on stage within the next decade.

Williams commented: ‘Technology and the future of orchestral concerts are areas we are observing with keen interest, always curious to see potential new developments that enhance and build upon what already exists. In many ways, crystal ball gazing can reveal a lot about the current situation, as well as what people expect will become the norm in years to come. It is this aspect of the research that will inform our concert planning, more than anything else. That being said, the RPO has experimented with a number of different areas – we were among the first to pioneer digital programmes that respond to live performances at our concerts and have performed alongside holograms of legendary singers. Similarly, we are currently collaborating with some of the world's leading tech companies to develop new forms of concerts and performances. On this front, watch this space.’