Hey, now Angry Some of us young'uns have taste. Grin
Taste which, at least in my case, was developed primarily from the listening environment at home. That's a huge part of the problem; classical music has no foothold to speak of in popular culture any more.
Quite right, on both counts! I know many younger people who have a passionate love for "serious" music, but it's usually very much despite popular culture. Exposure at home is probably the biggest influence, but I know of many music students who found their passion through their school music program, not from their home environment. But, as funding for many school music and arts programs has waned, this avenue is closing for many as well.
I'm proud to say that I have two daughters in their 20s who are fine musicians, devoted to study, performance, and teaching of predominantly "serious" music. Of course, they grew up in an exceptionally musical household and had many opportunities outside their school programs, but the love and appreciation for music, literature, and the arts in general were an important part of their lives from infancy. Not all of us are in a position to provide this sort of artistic nurturing, but at the very least we can reach out and support others who can, and music programs that will make a difference in the lives of other young people, and by extension our sadly degraded culture as well.
