RPO publishes positive Christmas research

New research published by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has predicted a surge in the number of people engaging with the classical genre over the Christmas season. The research indicates that 83 per cent of UK adults intend to engage with classical and choral music in December – a rise on 76 per cent from the summer.

The research, conducted by Walr research for the orchestra, is based on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 adults taken November 2024. It found that 51 per cent of people with no prior connection to classical music will give it a go, and 88 per cent of classical newcomers delving deeper into the genre over the festive period, with the most popular method of connecting with orchestral music being listening to Christmas choral music at home (48 per cent).

RPO managing director Sarah Bardwell said: ‘Over the last 18 months, our research has quantified the size and diversity of new audiences that are experiencing the orchestral world for the first time. Technology has played its part in making the genre more accessible, but our data also suggests that the thrill of a live performance and the diversity of concert programming is also playing a significant role. Our latest research suggests many people will experience classical and choral music for the first time over Christmas, whilst others will take their journeys of discovery a step further.’

In the North East, people are most likely to get together and sing Christmas carols at home (30 per cent), while in the South East classical radio is more likely to be listened to over the festive period (21 per cent) and Londoners are most likely to add classical music to their on-the-go playlists (25 per cent) and attend an orchestral concert over the festive period (24 per cent). The survey also found that, while Wham’s Last Christmas again tops the list of go-to music to mark the festive season this year, six of the top 15 choices are from the choral and orchestral genre.