V.com weekend vote: What is your favorite genre of music that isn't classical?
Sometimes people think that classical musicians don't like any other kinds of music. It's simply not true, at least among the majority of my musician friends. Most true musicians - classical or otherwise - love good music, whatever the genre. I enjoy listening to the pop music of my youth, but also the pop music of my children (occasionally they'll make me a playlist!) Then again, occasionally I just want to listen to an old Broadway musical!
As a violinist, it's true - I spend a lot of time playing classical music. I often listen to classical music for pleasure, but I often listen almost like "homework" - with the agenda of getting the music in my fingers, in short order.
So when I'm just listening to music for fun, I often wish to listen to music other than classical music.
I recently attended a concert at the Hollywood Bowl (Vilde Frang performing with the LA Phil and Gustavo Dudamel, review to come!) - and I noticed what a wide range of programming they have beyond classical, including movie music, rock, ranchera, reggae, jazz and more. A "Sound of Music" sing-along? That sounds great to me!
I also was thinking about this recently when I heard the violinist Rachel Barton Pine perform in Cincinnati. During a pre-concert talk the interviewer asked her about her other-than-classical musical interests. "Are you still a heavy metal fan?" he said. Her response: of course! "There is no such thing as someone who liked Slayer for just one summer!"
So, setting classical music aside for a moment, what is your favorite genre of music? This vote might be difficult, if you have many musical loves! But for now, just vote on whatever genre you would pick today, if you were going to listen to something (other than classical music!) Then tell us all about the various kinds of music that you enjoy, in the comments.
You might also like:
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Replies
It depends on where I am and what I’m doing. I voted country, which I listen to a lot on road trips. But I also like classic rock, which suits me better for workout sessions. Check out these links to 2 vintage songs - 1 country, 1 rock, with run-times for each - to get an idea of what resonates with me:
Alabama: If You're Gonna Play in Texas - 4:28
Free: All Right Now - 4:14
Jazz, as they say, is America's classical music. It's the only genre I can listen to non-stop and not get bored. There's so much stylistic variation, with complex tonal structure, and for the most part it grooves. Also,the freedom of improvising solos makes it the most fun to play.
I listen to a lot of Bob Dylan, mostly everything since 1979. I've got 14 linear feet of CDs of his music. Although baroque music is my favorite music, I still consider Jerry Garcia my favorite musician, and the Grateful Dead was of course his best band. I've got 24 linear feet of their music on CDs. I tell my friends I don't like rock but I make a few hundred exceptions, for example Cream and Blind Faith and Traffic, and Led Zeppelin. For country, I have a lot of Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. I have a lot of jazz CDs too but haven't been in that mentality for a few years.
Today I painted all day, mostly listened to baroque but also a disc by Be-Bop Deluxe and a disc of violin & piano music by Lutoslawski and Penderecki. Also been going earlier lately, polyphony singing by Lassus, Ockeghem, Tallis, Josquin, Busnoys.... Going through my big box of new early music CDs.
For listening: Afro-cuban-caribean-Brazil--areas. For playing, I have spent more time and made more money outside of the mainstream classical world. As I have mentioned probably too often, I was a Mariachi violinist and singer. At an orchestra pre-concert interview I told our conductor that after all these years I still did know if was an classical violinist trying to play mariachi, or a mariachi fiddler trying to play in an orchestra.
Also within classical music there are quite different "genres" if you want. I've never felt pinned down to a specific genre, inside or outside classical. I rather stick to the truism that there are really only two genres: good music and bad music :-)
Glad to View This Terrific Topic! As from American Violin Soloist, Elisabeth Matesky, Classical Concert Touring Soloist and Author/Composer of a little piece made up one night in my London Garden Flat recorded for Fun which won 1st Prize in a US Rock Song Contest submitted under an alias name! {#7} ~
I have long been deeply attracted to Salsa meaning Tango and all glorious Ballad's in "Evita!" the musical composed by my friend in London, meeting at The Royal College of Music, and in the cafeteria in the basement for English High Tea when on my Fulbright following studies with Jascha Heifetz in his Original Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class at the USC Institute for Special Music Studies, and still with great unabashed interest in Salsa and to come later with Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita!" Hit Musical Broadway Show playing it during a much needed sabbatical from heavy Classical Concert Touring on Violin after losing my Poppa, cum first Teacher, RM, and turning to a lighter faire 'something' which indeed helped heal some of my deep inner grief ... In this Glorious Musical was the Hit "Song" of the ALW Musical termed "Buenos Aires" playing at Then Schubert Theatre Chicago Fab 'Band', aka, refined Orchestra anxiously awaiting playing it Every Night and with grand Elan Salsa with a Percussion Section "to die for" and which when over from London to Chicago for Previews, ALW asked me about the marvellous percussionist, Gary Matts, who became our CFM Local 10-208 Musicians Union President for 4 Elected unanimously Terms beloved and whom we lost in October of 2020 ... Gary moved the rhythm in "Buenos Aires" with infectious inner rhythm Salsa which all of us loved 'Getting Down' as is said in that specific genre of the Music 'Industry' ... Actually, "Buenos Aires" belongs arranged for a stringed Instrument with an able to activate Salsa with The Hands!! I recall when recording my little Rock Contest piece, Pepe Romero, King of Classical Guitarist's and for whom Spain's Rodridgo composed his 'Concerto de Aranguez' dedicating it to Pepe Romero of the Fabled Romero's Family from Spain's Globally revered Guitarist's, asking me "How can you do that which is required, Elisabeth, as a Solo Violinist!?" I simply replied, "I just do it, Pepe!" He seemed surprised saying he Had to see/Hear me do what I had Impromptu Composed and recorded to not ever forget it!! Salsa is like a warm bath after days of too much mind and body activity on Classical practising of major Violin Concerti including Brahms; Beethoven; Sibelius; Mendelssohn; Tchaikovsky; Khachaturian (my Calling Card as a Soloist from my Heifetz Pupil Days} and other Classical Violin Concerti so beloved yet so much serious practise demanded one needs A Break, musically, to recoup one's energy after long non stop Weeks/Months of absolute Practise and with the Metronome plus with a sensitive Pianist {if appropriate} to collaborate just prior to major Concert Soloist Tours and the like ~
Short on time this wee AM of 11th August, 2 0 2 5, I will simply state I Love Salsa, and not to ever disregard the Classic's in Music which when Then Returning always Light Up My Life!!!
Many Thanks to Editor, Violinist.com, Laurie Niles for reaching out and Across Repertoire for Solo and Concert Violin, writing about this very rare important Topic more or less 'Hidden' until Now with Laurie Niles leading the Way to Other Violin Pactise Alternatives on a Break from one's main Violin Concerti Repertoire Highway!!
P.S. A Shout Out to Joel Quivey, Superb Mariachi plus Classical Violinist Musician! EM
~ ~ ~ Musically from Chicago ~ ~ ~
............ Elisabeth Matesky ............
Fwd ~ dmg {#7} ("Book File" All rights reserved)
My youth and young manhood unfolded to a background of rock of which I still love Led Zep, Talking Heads, The Fall, Pixies, plenty of minor bands but nil since the demise of Mark E.Smith.
Elisabeth, it would be great if you could post a recording of your salsa composition. One small correction: Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is dedicated to Regino Sainz de la Maza, who was professor of guitar in Madrid, and gave its first performance in Barcelona.
Flamenco
Thanks Elisabeth, for mentioning that genre of Tango. Most of us Anglos have only heard or seen a very small selection of Tangos, and we are completely unaware that the older ones were sung. The song texts are long, dense, and frequently in the Buenos Aires urban dialect of Lunfardo, The text of Carlos Gardel's "Volver" slays me every time. Even Piazola's "Libertango", which we all have played, has a very long text.
Another vote for tangos.
I played for a few years in Paris in the quintet Gotan (bandoneon, viola, guitar, piano & bass) around 1980 with compositions à la Piazzolla.
We even played in a tango festival in Havana, and I have a photo where we join Osvaldo Pugliese for the grand finale.
I also played tangos & waltzes on violin in the dance band with Tito Bachicha and Roberto Caldarella in the basement of the Coupole brasserie.
My favorite tango violinist was Elvino Vardaro.
I find it hard to believe that the poll didn’t include Bluegrass Music. Many violinists cross over and play both Bluegrass and Classical music. One of the first Bluegrass fiddlers I ever met held a chair in the Nashville symphony orchestra.
Bluegrass and Western Swing were what got me interested in the violin in the first place. I may not have even considered Classical music as a listening genre if it hadnt been for my keen interest in Bluegrass music.
I love Classical and Bluegrass music equally.
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August 10, 2025 at 12:24 PM · My musical tastes are far and wide. More than happy to listen to Brahms and Mozart, to Metallica and Madonna. Depends on my mood.
But like Laurie, most of my classical listening is as "homework" for orchestral rehearsals. But I enjoy going to classical concerts a lot. Try to go at least once a month.