I found this quite hillarious when I read it and I can't believe it actually worked!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/5265252.stm

Oh my..that's propper hillarious!

Haha thanks for sharing

Alex xx

I think it's quite sad really - just going to re-inforce the current thinking amongst a large section of society in the UK that classical music isn't cool, is for posh people only and very, very boring.......

Wouldn't it be good if the Vivaldi had a soothing effect on them and some of them decided that they liked classical music?

Using it in the way suggested here doesn't help our cause as musicians to try and interest the wider public in what we do (and the joy to be had in same) because it makes classical music a punishment.

Funny at one level perhaps but, overall, I think it's disappointing.

Oboist - indeed, I quite agree.

I'm sure there are gangs of youngsters that won't cause damage, but do actually like classical music? I for one: if I go out with a bunch of mates we could quite easily end up hanging outside a shop for one reason or another, and could be deemed to be 'intimidating' or 'troublesome'.

It seems to be just displacing the problem.

Classical music isn't what you can call 'cool' but I think this is stupid that you use classical music to put them off.

My local Co-op also tried this idea (in Kent) and ended up having to stop. Too many people were stopping because they LIKED the music!!

Hehehe!

If this turns out to be a repost it's not my fault, it logged me out for some reason...

I agree with Oboist and Oddball that it is a shame that classical music is seen as uncool or boring. But if it stops trouble, I think it is a very good idea.

I'm quite upset at how youths are conveyed by the media. I went into a shop with my mum and I was scowled at just because I'm a teenager... I wasn't even asthough I was acting suspiciously either!!

(the shop didn't even have anything great in... What was I doing to do? Walk out with 2 washing up bowls and a floor mop?! )

Good to hear it!

I agree that it is sad that classical music is being used in this way - all this initiative does is promote classical music to be unpopular and for tiresome old stuck-up people. How on earth will the difficult enough task of encouraging young people to enjoy, participate, and generally take an interest in classical music become any easier if such a frequently chanced upon firm is degrading it so publicly. It is a similar principal to sitting a popular and confident child next to a shy and unpopular child in class, in an attempt to make the shy one make friends. All it does is highlight just how unpopular the shy child really is.

It may solve the Co-op's problem, but I think it is a rather narrow-minded approach, and a selfish one. At my school, classical is an almost derogatory label to give to a particular piece of music, the term is used very vaguely and inaccurately to refer to old and / or unpopular music. The thought of broadening one's cultural horizon is one to be ashamed of. To suggest to someone that they listen to classical music is to insult them. People tell me I listen to classical music, simply because they don't like me. I then have to deny the fact, because I know they are intending to offend me.

I have a friend, indeed our very own bobifier, who listens to the likes of Brahms on his MP3 player. If he was the slightest bit concerned about his image and what people thought of him, he wouldn't. People look at him derisively and snigger that he is listening to "classical", as opposed to MCR, Green Day, and whatever else the masses listen to. Popular rock bands are spoken of specifically by name, and then there is "classical", which is used to be just as accurate as saying the name of a popular rock band. It implies that listening to classical music is abnormal behaviour, an obscurity, and something not worthy of further exploration. It is for unpopular people. It is about more than just your taste in music, it is what sort of person you are. If you listen to classical music, it says that you are someone to steer clear of.

I have to deny that I like classical music, just to fit in and give the vultures one thing less to chew on. Anything for a peaceful life...

So very sad...

It is sad to hear your situation, mwl1. It is so true these days! Peer pressure is such a formidable force.

When I was in school, this wasn't much of a problem as the weird looks were also mixed with a degree of respect at being able to appreciate classical music. My classmates knew that I was a pianist, I played in the school band and sang in the school choir. However, I did enjoy listening to the lastest pop hits as well!

It's a shame that classical music is seen as uncool. I enjoy classical music, but mostly I get wierd looks when I say I don't like pop. Its as if the only thing that matters is what everyone else does, no one can be different, no matter what. It makes for a boring world, I think.

It is very sad that classical music is considered 'uncool' thats the only reason why the youths are going, not because they don't like the music. They don't take time to actually listen to it they just label it uncool and don't give it a chance. I am one of the very few (and i mean very few) people in my school that listen to it.

It's really a shame that poeple think that classic music in "Uncool"...

I once had tickets for a Clasiical concert at the Opera , when I invited one of my friends , she said that she'd better take a balnketbecause she'd probably sleep from boredom!

Yeah, I end up getting some very strange looks when asked what music I like, I start with Kaiser Cheifs, Keane etc. then go on to Queen, the Beatles, then Flook, Uiscedwr then Vivaldi, Bach, Brahms etc. People start off thinking "oh yeah she's normal" and by the end they're like

Exactly , this is becominy very common these days...

Oh yeah, and a while ago I got labelled "Mozart Girl", not that I really minded being compared to him...lol

"Listening to Mozart makes you more intelligent" I read that somewhere...


Poeple are becoming more and more shallow minded... It's pathetic.

Who?

Someone Celtic??

Yeah, they won Young Folk Musician of the year at some point, they're really good and I want to see them. It's such a shame, they were supporting Flook (another favourite band) in Basingstoke near my birthday and I missed it

In my school, if you are listening to "classical", you are, by default listening to Mozart. Mozart is just another word for "classical". Mozart is also the only "uncool" composer that the masses appear to have vaguely heard of, with Beethoven showing up on the radar of a modest few.

Funny in terms of a clever solution, but to those of us in the musical world it is not at all amusing, of course classical music is cool!

Right you are!