While many scientific studies have suggested a link between listening to music and concentration, the preferred genre for young students working on their lesson comes from the classical repertoire
Three out of four British students listen to orchestral music to help them study.
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When it comes to revising their lessons, some students seek absolute silence while others are motivated by sounds in their ears. While many scientific studies have suggested a link between listening to music and concentration, the preferred genre for young students working on their lesson comes from the classical repertoire.
The figures speak for themselves: 75% of British students say they listen to orchestral music during their revision sessions, according to a recent report by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), relayed by the Classic FM website. Symphonies and concertos are particularly popular, although the top choice is film scores. Some 44% of the young people surveyed said they listen to "soundtracks" to improve their concentration in class. A third of them also turn to music from video games to give themselves a little boost when studying.
If classical music suffers from having a reputation as old-fashioned in the collective imagination, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's survey shows that young people of today are much more attuned to it than those of previous generations. For example, only 68% of students who took school exams in the 1980s listened to such music during their revision sessions.
For James Williams, managing director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, this shift in young people's attitudes towards classical music can be explained by the prominence the genre gained in the lives of music lovers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, an RPO survey from 2020 found that classical music helped them relax and keep their spirits up during this time of uncertainty. "We saw in lockdown— another stressful time for many—how young people, in particular, relied on orchestral music for their wellbeing, relaxation, and happiness. The support that music can offer during tough times forges a relationship for the long term," James Williams told Classic FM.