Philharmonia Debates… What makes a Classic?

What transforms a great piece of music into a true classic?

From concert halls to cinemas, television, gaming and streaming, orchestral music continues to shape the stories we tell and the worlds we create. But how do certain pieces become woven into our collective cultural imagination? And what role do today’s media play in creating the classics of tomorrow?

This Philharmonia Debate explores how Beethoven’s music has transcended the concert hall to become part of popular culture, and how film, television, video games and other media continue to introduce orchestral music to new audiences. We’ll consider why some works become instantly recognisable, how music acquires new meaning through the screen, and whether these new contexts help define the modern musical canon.

Our panel will also explore how composers continue to push orchestral music forward, building on Beethoven’s spirit of innovation while finding new ways to connect with audiences in the 21st century. What makes music endure? How do masterpieces evolve with each new generation? And which works being written today might become the cultural touchstones of the future?

Join us for a lively conversation about creativity, innovation and the qualities that allow certain works to become timeless.

Continue the conversation in the concert hall by staying for the afternoon performance featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 alongside Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15 and Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by Nobuyuki Tsujii (separate ticket required).