As a classically trained musician, Andrew Joslyn understands the symphony. He grew up playing violin. He also understands pop culture, and therefore, he knows where classical music still thrives in our modern era.
«It’s taken culture a minute to actually give credibility to video game music,» Joslyn said.
Not just video game music, but film and TV scores, too — the music that drives storytelling across screens big and small. Classical music can also live in pop music. As associated director of popular programming at the Seattle Symphony, Joslyn finds symphonic potential among hip hop artists like Rick Ross, movies like «Top Gun: Maverick,» or composer Bear McCreary.
«He’s from Bellingham,» Joslyn said of McCreary. «He has touched everything from video games like ‘God of War’ and some really epic stuff to TV with [‘Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,’] ‘Battlestar Galactica.’ He’s done films. He has a heavy metal band. This guy has touched everything. And it’s really good.»
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«I called his agent and was like, ‘I really like Bear. I don’t see a symphony show of his stuff anywhere … Can I convince him and his team to create a show?’ And we are world premiering it with us in Seattle. So, there you go. Pop culture meets symphony, right there.»
Fans will have to wait until 2027 for that world premiere with Bear McCreary.
Joslyn spoke with «Meet Me Here,» KUOW’s arts podcast, about the modern collision of pop culture and symphonies, as classical music organizations find new ways to invite audiences through their doors. Listen to the full episode below or on your favorite podcast app.
Symphonies, and other legacy arts organizations, across the United States have been losing audiences for many years. It’s a known trend that goes back decades and a challenge symphonies have struggled with as they power through with traditional programming.
Many organizations, however, are discovering that classical forms of music are still thriving in corners they may not have previously considered: video games, movies, TV, pop music, and more (it’s spurred some debate among classical fans). There are even college courses emerging around video game symphonic music.
In short, pop culture has become a new frontier for symphonies. That’s where someone like Joslyn comes in. He finds new opportunities that the symphony can perform. His job with the Seattle Symphony is to bring pop culture through the door.
«Everything that is not classical,» he said. «I’m touching everything that is popular culture adjacent. That includes film scores, that includes collaborations with Head and the Heart and the symphony, or Rick Ross. We’re gonna be doing a Jane Austin show coming up.»
Fans will swoon over the music from «Game of Thrones,» and are eager to hear the scores of John Williams who crafted the music for movies ranging from «Superman» to «Star Wars,» «Harry Potter» to «E.T.»
Someone might not be interested in a performance of Mahler. But they might walk into Seattle’s Benaroya Hall to experience music from the «Final Fantasy» video game series. Or they may be interested in watching a classic holiday movie as the symphony performs the score live.
«We had ‘Home Alone,'» Joslyn said. «People are crying in the audience and they’re clapping … this is [composer] John Williams. You’re watching this film, all together as a community event, and you see the moments, the big emotional swell, and people are cheering together in the audience because you can feel it in the music. And it’s like, you don’t get that in a normal theater.»
Classical pop culture
As a kid, Joslyn new he wanted a career in music, but he also knew he wasn’t going to end up playing in an orchestra. In college, he brought his violin to rock bands. That led to a career partnering with pop musicians, such as Kesha, Macklemore, Leslie Odom, and David Bazan from Pedro the Lion.
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A contract gig in 2017 brought him to the Seattle Symphony. He helped with a show featuring Ciara, Macklemore, and Russell Wilson. He soon helped with collaborations between the symphony and Nancy Wilson from Heart, a show featuring music from «Twin Peaks,» and the band Thunderpussy.
«This world where popular music and classical music mixes, it’s so beautiful and it feels untouched,» he said.
When it comes to such blending of modern and classical, Joslyn feels many orchestras have been «a little too scared about opening up that floodgate.» But it’s really more about meeting audiences where they are.
«If you’re too purist about an artform, it excludes people,» he said. «I think, right now, the walls are just coming down enough for orchestras, for jazz, and even for folk … I guarantee that in a certain number of years there’s gonna be no genres. It’s just gonna be, ‘I’m zydeco, heavy metal, bluegrass, classical.’ Art is just free flowing, and people are going to do whatever. So, it’s nice that there is now this level of permission and ease about coming to a concert.»
