The Relevance of Classical Music in the Modern World

On November 29, 2024, the European Music, Arts And Business Forum gathered cultural and business leaders at the Wirtschaftskammer Österreich to explore the role of classical music in today’s society.

Marshall Marcus (EUYO - European Union Youth Orchestra) opened with an inspiring keynote on how classical music drives education, diplomacy and innovation. Experts like artist manager Esther Schollum, IT consultant and music entrepreneur Christopher Widauer, Stijn van der Schoor (Jeunesse Austria), conductor Azis Sadikovic (ClassiXX@NOW & music@NOW) and photographer Sven-Kristian Wolf (Orchstrapunk) shared insights into audience engagement, creative concert formats and new visual approaches. Helen Leitner – head of communication at the European Union Youth Orchestra – concluded the first part of the event with her hands-on presentation “Social Media: Why, How, What?”.

Highlights of the second part of the program included a musical performance by EUYO musicians, the Saitenschneider-Quartett, and a panel with Yana Barinova (ERSTE Foundation), Klara Koštal (Austrian Commission for UNESCO), Reanne Leuning (Advantage Austria – Creative Industries) and Markus Wolfsteiner (BMEIA, Nasom & Kulturforen) on culture as a tool for international collaboration.

The event was curated and moderated by Olga Kolokytha and Eva-Maria Bauer from the Center for Applied Music Research at University for Continuing Education Krems in cooperation with the EUYO and Campus Cultur. It was hosted and organized by AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA in the framework of go-international.

We are grateful for the positive feedback of our participants and are looking forward to repeat the European Forum on Music, Arts and Business in 2025.