Ken Keuffel suggests:

>I wonder, though, if anyone has ever produced a serious study that shows
>that children who participate in such activities end up attending concerts
>regularly as adults.  I suspect that a concert-going patron's love of
>music is the result of meaningful hands-on experience with it in childhood.
>That means taking lessons and performing.

Nature-nurture has me stumped.  Both of my children heard classical music
and enjoyed it throughout their childhoods.  They went to concerts, heard
live and recorded music in the home all the time.  Both children studied
stringed instruments.  We even had a family string quartet.  Now, in
adulthood, my daughter still plays the violin and has frequent chambermusic
sessions where she sometimes even brings her toddler and babe in arms.
My son also loves music, but not classical music.

He was at one time good enough on the 'cello to perform one of the last
three "cello" quartets of Mozart, but even playing and sounding good was
not enough to thrill him and bind him to classical music.  He was in an
orchestra at New England Conservatory, and even THAT didn't grab him.
But his kind of music means a lot to him, and he is an avid fan.  He
calls it "alternative" music.  And I am deaf to its charms, alas, but
not blind to his!

Meanwhile, my daughter continues to explore all kinds of classical music,
and also has a popular lieder website.

(plug from proud mom: visit www.recmusic.org/lieder)

Mimi Ezust