Nicola’s war on snobs ruining classics for all
HER prodigious talent, impeccable manners and movie star looks have wowed audiences at venues as diverse as T In The Park and London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Now Nicola Benedetti has aimed her bow at the music snobs who, she believes, are driving people away from classical music.
The Ayrshire violin virtuoso claims concerts are being ruined by ‘staring and glaring’ elitists who deliberately try to make newcomers feel uncomfortable.
The 26-year-old, who has performed at Glastonbury, has worked to bring orchestral music to new audiences. However, she feels her efforts are undermined by concert hall conservatives who sneer at newcomers.
The musician, who secured a £1 million recording deal at the age of 17, said: ‘Whenever I’ve invited young people to concerts they’ve enjoyed it. There are barriers we need to break down and it’s a combined effort to make young people and newcomers feel welcome. However, there are some people who can be quite hostile – staring and glaring if anyone makes a slight noise. ‘All of the work can be undone.’ The West Kilbride-born artist feels first-time attendees should be made aware of the formalities surrounding classical music, but she says she is keen for audiences to be relaxed and noisy.
She said: ‘If it’s someone’s first time, then give a brief explanation of what happens, such as waiting to clap at the end of a piece. I don’t mind when people clap – they can clap in the middle and I won’t care.’
The keen supporter of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra push to encourage more young people into concert halls added: ‘I so wish every child in Scotland could have the chance to hear music and have a music teacher who makes it their job to expose their favourite pieces, with different levels of complexity, to children.
‘I want to encourage as many people as possible to listen, not just to my music, but to the greatest symphonies and operas.’
Eyebrows were raised when Miss Benedetti’s album, Szymanowski: Violin Concerto No 1, featured a playalong karaoke track of Meditation by Jules Massenet. It led the Classical Source website to criticise her ‘sloppy’ populist album packaging, stating: ‘There are pages devoted to ringtones and “thank yous”, and credits for hairstylists, but there is no information regarding recording dates.’
Classical music label Naxos also acknowledges snobbery is alive among a vocal minority.
Its guide for new concertgoers states: ‘Classical music snobs can be some of the worst snobs of all.’