Mr. Ross posed the question, "Why does it (classical music) feel so cut off from the rest of society and culture?" He pointed out that classical music has diminished in popularity since WWII due to many factors including the disappearance of orchestras due to the expense and access to the music on radio and television. One of only two prominent, music critics in New York, Mr. Ross noted that today's classical audience has significantly diminished due to algorithmic innovations that match a person's musical taste and provide automatic "favorites" playlists. Listeners are staying within their music silo and not listening to more challenging stuff. Programs like Pandora and Spotify make it easy to avoid unfamiliar or challenging music that may become interesting over time. Mr. Ross encouraged his high school audience to branch out and give classical music a try, stressing its broad range of styles. The hook? Start with the bass-line. Find the familiar within the unfamiliar.