Hi, I'm pretty new to classical music and had heard while flipping through the radio stations on a business trip, an insane blend of modern classical music and electronica/industrial. It started as a classical piece but as the song intensified and came toward the climax it started incorporating insane electronic melodies and sounds. I've been told by some of my peers that it is referred to as Avant Garde. I have researched and listened to countless artists but have yet to find this particular style. Anyone have any clue or leads?

Try this; Alan Stivell's Celtic Symphony is based on the fusion of Rock and Symphonic music, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, primarily known as a musical theater artist, has composed an album of rock variations on a theme by Paganini.

Not truly classical but these are some of the more popular electronic avent garde artist out today. Maybe what you heard is one of these artist doing a classical piece.

Eric van der Heijden
Mark Shreeve
The Aftermath
O Head
Mako
Ray Lynch
Richard Souther
Baffo Banfi
Ryan Farish
Doucet & Miraz
Biosphere

In most eras and styles of classical music, a theme or stylistic method emerges that differentiates a movement from the ones before. An adherence to certain musical rules, tonal systems, modes, and instrumentation is what defined many genres of classical music; but experimental, often called Avant-garde, is inspired by a drive to be different, daring, or challenging rather than harmonious, pleasant, and formal.

'Avant-garde' is a French phrase that described those who challenged the norms and standards of the day with daring ideas. This organized, culturally elite group dove into the most difficult or dogmatic practices, and acted as the 'advance guard' going to battle with the quotidian and clashing with conformity.

Movements in the visual arts frequently had musical counterparts where the intelligentsia used novel concepts in every artistic medium. Dadaists, Futurists, and Impressionists all took radical ideas and created music that diverged drastically from prior musical standards. While experimental music continues in every conceivable style, Experimental classical challenges fundamental notions of what we call music, yet often retains enough orchestration, intention, or conceptual gusto to remain somewhat 'classical.'

Notable Artists: Arnold Schoenberg, Gyorgy Ligeti, John Cage, Anton Webern, Philip Glass


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