Classical music must stop obsessing about young audiences, says ASQ’s Sharon Grigoryan

As she prepares to leave the Australian String Quartet after seven years, cellist Sharon Grigoryan reflects on the highs and lows of her time with the ensemble.

‘I think the classical industry needs to get out of this obsession with appealing to younger audiences,’ said cellist Sharon Grigoryan.

‘I’ve been in the industry just long enough to remember people talking about how audiences are dwindling, how everyone has grey hair and what happens when they die in 10 years’ time? That was 20 years ago! And yet there are still people coming to concerts,’ said Grigoryan, who recently announced her impending departure from the Australian String Quartet (ASQ) after seven years with the ensemble.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts