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Classic FM started broadcasting nine years ago, explains Charlotte Rosier, and now more than six million tune in every week.
Added to that are 401,000 children aged 4 to 14 who listen for more than 1.1 million hours a week. We believe that classical music should be both accessible and relevant and that we have a responsibility to lead the way in initiatives that drive audiences for classical music upwards.

The state of music education is a subject that is close to the station?s heart. For the third consecutive year, we are conducting a search for the Music Teacher of the Year and in May launched the music education video ?Six of the Best?.The teaching aid aims to promote best practice in music making for children of all ages and at all levels. In October, 60 children from around the country will join members of the London Symphony Orchestra and teachers from the Purcell School for a weekend at the Yamaha-Classic FM School of Music.

In May 2000 we received Arts Council of England funding for ?Classic FM Families?, a project designed to enhance and encourage concert-going amongst the millions of people in the UK who currently admit to an interest in, and even a passion for classical music, but never attend classical concerts.The project sought to demystify the concertgoing experience by giving each family a comprehensive information pack and guiding them through their first concert visit.

We also continue our drive to build concert audiences with a series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. Last year, we staged the world première of Karl Jenkins? choral work ?The Armed Man:A Mass for Peace?. It was a sell-out. In October, the Royal Albert Hall was again full to capacity for the first concert in the Classic FM Live! series.That evening, young British violinist Daniel Hope took centre stage.The series recorded a 40% increase in children?s listening for the Sunday evening slot and a 23% increase overall.

Classic FM offers listeners many opportunities to participate in the life of the station.The daily chart show ?Classic FM Most Wanted? invites listeners to vote for the music they want to hear; every Wednesday evening we invite listeners to send in their Fantasy Evening Concert; and in April, 10-year-old Daniel Timms from Coventry, the youngest ever contributor, heard his concert broadcast to more than a million listeners.

Off-air activities have helped to further develop the relationship with our listeners. Our website offers listeners another chance to interact with the station. It includes a 3D site and aims to become the world?s leading classical music portal.And Classic FM Magazine continues to be a big selling classical title.

Charlotte Rosier is Press and Publicity Officer of Classic FM. t: 020 7344 2742, e: charlotte.rosier@classicfm.com, w: http://www. classicfm.com