Looking for classical background music? You might start by typing a generic Spotify search like “classical.” But why not show some love to your local orchestra? Try searching for the name of a nearby large city, followed by “orchestra.”
It’s more fun to listen to music from a specific orchestra—you’ll feel a little more connected to it.
For example, I search for Chicago Orchestra, and it’s like, “yeah, this is MY orchestra.”
If you’re having trouble finding an orchestra near you, Wikipedia has a list of symphony orchestras in the United States with over 250 options!
The list of symphony orchestras in Europe includes over 400 orchestras.
For 200+ orchestras from other countries, check out this list of symphony orchestras. You might enjoy discovering music from an orchestra in a random country like Peru.
When you search for an artist on Spotify, they give you the “most popular” right the top. Try listening to your chosen orchestra by album—not just the “most popular” tracks. While it’s nice to have the “top hits,” it’s more satisfying to experience a full album where the pieces fit together. Look for a more recent album, and you might even enjoy better sound quality.
If you can’t find a particular orchestra on Spotify, give YouTube a try. For instance, the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru is not on Spotify. But they have a channel on YouTube.
With so many options available, you could listen to a different orchestra from around the world every day! Having a hard time deciding which country to listen to today? Use the list of national independence days. To quickly find today, sort the list by “Date of holiday.”
Two days ago was the Independence Day of Bulgaria. You can listen to the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra or the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra (a city in Bulgaria).
One of these days I’ll make a complete calendar with one orchestra for every day of the year. For days when there isn’t an Independence Day, I’ll find some reason to play a particular city’s orchestra. Maybe some historical event or a composer’s birthday. It’ll be a handy list anyone can refer to every day for a suggestion for what to listen to. Complete with links direct to albums on Spotify or YouTube.
It’s not just about filling the background with sound—it’s about finding something that resonates with you, connecting you to a specific place and performance. Your orchestra, your music, your moment.