Listen to the podcast and answer the questions in the quiz. If you’re still unsure about a question, read the script provided to help you.

This week’s podcast is voiced by SCMP production editor Graeme Acres and studio manager Nick Dearman.

Script

Adapted from Associated Press

Voice 1: From the stage of Amsterdam’s historic concert hall, violinist Hyunjin Cho and cellist Efstratia Chaloulakou look out over rows of young faces illuminated by the glow of laptop screens. The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw’s main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall.

Voice 2: The students aren’t being rude by ignoring the musicians. At this event, they’re meant to be studying – and the music is intended to support rather than distract them. The study sessions were first organised during the Covid-19 pandemic by Entree, the youth association of the Concertgebouw, to help students improve their concentration and introduce them to the charms of classical music. They have been a hit ever since.

Voice 1: During a recent session, musicians played German composer Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D, some Handel and Schubert and even a little music from Studio Ghibli animated films for good measure. The sounds filled a space whose walls are decorated with the gilded names of famous composers from Ravel to Mahler and Wagner to Mozart.

Voice 2: The music helped 21-year-old Kyra Mulder focus on a project for her occupational therapy degree at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. She added that it was actually very calming and helped her concentrate. This surprised her because she did not normally listen to classical music.

Voice 1: As the musicians played, more students wandered into the concert hall, some clutching cups of coffee along with their computers and books that they proceeded to perch on their laps. Signs advertise the password for the venue’s free Wi-fi network. A ticket for the session is just 2.50 euros, which is about HK$23.

Voice 2: The venue’s general director, Simon Reinink, said this programme was one of the many ways to welcome younger audiences to the Concertgebouw. He added that it was an inspiring place to study, with great music in a wonderful, beautiful environment. He hoped the event would not only help visitors study but also inspire a new generation to appreciate classical music and return for more.

Voice 1: Professor Bas Bloem, a neurologist at the Radboud University Medical Centre in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, said that while music could disturb some people’s concentration, it might help others focus. While it is not a one-size-fits-all situation, background music can be soothing for some because it helps create a flow state. He added that by reaching this state, a person could be extremely productive.