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Co:ZY x RIA

Author Sabrina

Published on: January 15, 2024

What does classical music sound like in 2024 if we let young people decide?

The various genres of classical music have typically emerged through a playful and experimental approach to existing contemporary musical material. Today, there is a rather violent divide between rhythmic and classical music, which we at Concerto Copenhagen want to challenge. What happens if we invite young people between 15 and 30 into our musical space and let them compose on their own terms?

With the Co:ZY project, Concerto Copenhagen will explore the boundaries between genres and create music in collaboration with young music students from RIA Kollektivet in Roskilde and MGK Sjælland on baroque, classical and rhythmic instruments.

Today, there is a big gap between what MON calls classical music and popular music. MON has seen many attempts to close this gap by changing frames and formats in the hope of appealing to a younger audience. In short, MON tries to create new packaging for the same art form. But what if MON adapted the art expression to the present?

With Co:ZY, Concerto Copenhagen will explore how young people react when the music they know from their everyday lives is played on instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries. Together, Concerto Copenhagen's professional musicians and the young students will create completely new musical expressions that will hopefully enrich both parties and give us all new engagement and curiosity about the music we already know and the music that is new to us.

Co:ZY x RIA is a pilot project in collaboration with RIA Kollektivet in Roskilde and Wednesday Club in Copenhagen. The project is the first step in the long-term initiative 'Co:ZY', which will create more understanding and engagement for classical music among young people both digitally and live in the form of video formats, workshops and eventually concerts.