Questionably Musical by Kally Proctor

Twang…bong…plink…screech…

Whether it’s classical, rock, jazz, or pop, most of us probably enjoy listening to some kind of music. But for the majority of us, there will always be that one genre of music that we just don’t “get”.

Recently, I participated as a solo pianist in a recital at the 41st Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young at the Rivers School Conservatory. The event constituted many different performances of contemporary classical music by middle and high school students. So, I not only had intimate exposure to my own piece, but I got to listen to all the other kids’ musical performances.

My takeaway is how uncomfortable so many of the pieces were. While some pieces were more “traditional” sounding, many of the pieces just made no sense to me. At one point, there was a boy who was playing a song where he would play one note and then stop for 30-ish second; I just sat there thinking: “What? This is music?”

While there’s a fine line between what people consider “classical” and “contemporary” music, the range can be huge. Stepping back, what I think most people think of as conventional classical music is music that is flowing and elegant, as contrasted with contemporary classical music which often sounds jarring and edgy. With conventional classical music, people may have preferences as it relates to composers and compositions, but most people tend to appreciate the melodic rhythms. With contemporary classical music, most people have to make more of a concerted effort to listen multiple times before they can come close to appreciating it. That’s a big difference.

So, how do we learn to appreciate contemporary classical music? While it may initially sound weird, awkward, and confusing, instead of thinking why would someone listen to this? try thinking with a more open mind: you might find yourself appreciating music you don’t initially understand.

My lesson is that with “new” genres of music that it can take repeated times for the right feeling to set in. While contemporary music doesn’t always sound the great the first time you hear it, its complexity and intricacy compels the listener to dig deeper into the meaning and listen for hidden melodies – if the listener is willing to make the effort and take the time. This discovery part is what makes contemporary classical music fun: it engages the listener into active discovery whereas with convention classical muse, the listener be more passive and just sit back and absorb.

So, next time you hear a particular piece of music that at first glance might seem awkward, might dislike, from my experience, it’s important to try to: be open, listen repeatedly, and look for emotional connections that might not initially be so obvious.

You may surprise yourself. I did.