Candlelight® by Fever presents Classical Pulse 2026, its first international analysis of classical music consumption habits, featuring insights from more than 8,000 people across 10 countries
Canada, March 18th, 2026 — Gen Z and Millennials lead classical concert attendance in Canada, while Baby Boomers stand out globally with the highest level of non-attendance in the past year. This is highlighted in the Classical Pulse 2026: Classical Music Consumption Insights report, the first-ever global study produced by Candlelight®, the concert series presented by Fever, which examines the habits of more than 8,000 people across ten countries.
Conducted independently*, the study explores what motivates audiences to engage with classical music, the challenges they face, and how these experiences can be adapted to better meet their expectations.
According to the survey, over half of Canadians (55%) have attended a classical music concert at least once. Among those respondents, younger generations stand out: 89% of adults under 45 attended at least one concert in the past year, many of them multiple times, while participation remains relatively strong among Generation X (aged 45–54), with 79% attending at least once. As attendance declines with age in line with the global pattern, Baby Boomers in Canada show the highest non-attendance rate worldwide, with 46% not attending even once in the past year.
Despite relatively strong attendance figures, Canadians report some of the lowest levels of overall interest and involvement in classical music worldwide. Over a third of respondents (37%) say they are not interested in the genre. Only 23% are actively engaged as musicians, educators, or students, while another 21% are indirectly involved through someone they know. Taken together, just 44% of Canadians have any form of connection to classical music, placing the country below others surveyed.
In Canada, practical and perceptual barriers play a major role in keeping audiences away from classical music. Among those who have never attended a concert, 34% say they are simply not interested in the genre. Ticket prices are the second most common barrier, cited by 27% of respondents, while 23% feel they don’t know enough about classical music to attend. A further 19% say there isn’t much on offer near them. Social and experiential factors also weigh in: 13% report not having anyone to go with, 11% feel the events are too formal, and 9% describe concerts as too long or boring. These findings highlight how both accessibility and perception shape engagement, suggesting that making classical music feel more relevant, affordable, and geographically available could open doors to wider audiences.
Although a relatively small share of Canadians resists changing traditional formats (19%, the highest “no interest” rate among all countries), there is still a strong appetite for innovation. The survey points to clear opportunities to bring the genre closer to new audiences. While traditional concert halls remain the primary venue, Canadians are showing growing enthusiasm for fresh approaches. Genre blending leads as the most desired innovation (30%), followed closely by visual effects (27%) and performances in unconventional venues (14%). Interactive components rank lowest, with only 9% citing them as a priority, indicating that audiences prefer to observe rather than participate.
Classical music today is driven by younger, digital-first fans; strengthened by personal and social connections; challenged by barriers of access and interest; and increasingly redefined by immersive formats and unconventional venues. The future of classical music will not be just about listening, but about experiencing it, connecting with more people, in more ways than ever before.
*This survey was conducted online by Dynata with 8,000 adults (800 in each of the ten countries). Samples were balanced by gender, age, and region to reflect national populations.
Download the Classical Pulse 2026 report and discover more about these findings here.
Discover more information and images of Candlelight® here.