Most of us are quite aware that pop songs are formulaic in that there is a simple sequence of chords and verses that are repeated throughout a song. This structure was actually “discovered” in the 18th century, and was refined by Schubert, who wanted to write music that could be enjoyed instantly.

Award-winning composer Howard Goodall, who studied musical connections between classical composers and pop stars, noted that there were striking similarities between Adele’s and Schubert’s music. “Strip away the cultural differences, the clothes and anything that dates them, and there is a strong connection,” Goodall said. “The musical shape, the architecture of it, the kind of chords, the way the accompaniment works and the voice sits on it, even the subject matter, are remarkably similar.”

Before electronic music even came about, there was Steve Reich, who revolutionised classical music and whose 1965 landmark debut It’s Gonna Rain introduced the musical concept known as phasing. Regarded as one of the most influential composers of the last five decades, the creator of “pulse” and “phase” music—who performed here at Esplanade in 2016—played a huge, albeit indirect role in the way contemporary music has evolved. His influence on music legends from Kraftwerk to David Bowie, Brian Eno and Radiohead has been greatly talked about, and his reach even extends into hip hop, electro and techno.

If classical music in general seems to appeal to an older audience, video game music is the rising star of the genre that is speaking to an unexpected group of young listeners. According to an article by The Independent, music composed for video games is now ranked alongside Beethoven and Mozart. In fact, fans of cult games such as Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts etc. are more than enthusiastic about orchestral game music concerts.