British pianist calls for shorter classical shows for younger audiences

British Pianist Stephen Hough has called for classical concerts to be overhauled to attract younger audiences.

Performances should be shorter with no interval, he argues, while orchestras could drop their formal dress code, BBC News reports.

The musician, who plays the BBC Proms next week, said the lack of new audiences has become critical.

"It's important to address this issue if we want to refresh the experience of hearing great classical music live without resorting to gimmicks."

Writing in the Radio Times, Hough accused the programmers of becoming stuck in their ways."At some point in the early 20th Century we settled into a pattern: Concerts should start early evening and last roughly two hours with a liquid interval, either to drink a glass of wine or visit the ladies / gents.

"I think we should consider removing the interval and starting either earlier or later than 7:30pm - 60 to 80 minutes of music, then out."

Hough adds that he played such a concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic a few months ago, "and it felt charged with an energy that the traditional concert can sometimes lack".