Classical Music for High Schoolers
Discover even more classical music with this playlist aimed at high schoolers (both musicians and non-musicians).
Music lovers who have listened to our Elementary and Middle School playlists might be interested in discovering some music that's a bit more adventurous.
Our playlist for high schoolers brings you music that's a little off the beaten path or which demands a bit more of your attention.
Sometimes that's because it's a longer piece that uses recurring themes, like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with its "Ode to Joy" finale, or Copland's Third Symphony, which was constructed using themes from his Fanfare for the Common Man.
Others are pieces that are just a bit more complicated, like Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring or Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra.
Sometimes, it's because it's not played nearly as often as it should be — often because of prejudices and biases that have long been built into the culture of the classical music world. George Walker's Lyric for Strings is utterly gorgeous. The music of Mexican composers Silvestre Revueltas, José Pablo Moncayo, and Blas Galindo is energetic and exciting (and inspired Aaron Copland and other American composers!).
In the case of other pieces on this list, the music is just so new that it hasn't had time to become well-known yet. But these pieces reflect modern life in a way we wouldn't expect from older music. Andrew Norman's Play, for instance, was inspired by video games and channel surfing!
Take a listen to the playlist and discover some new music for yourself. (And if you find yourself intrigued by something you hear, we encourage you to do a little internet research and learn more about it!)
We hope you enjoyed this article! It was made possible through the generosity of music lovers just like you. Please consider helping us continue to bring you great content, including concerts and more, by making a donation to the Redlands Symphony.
Published by:
