Toss Bluegrass and Ragtime into a blender and you may get something interesting--but probably not very tasty. But take several centuries of musical development and mastery and marry it with the soulful, passionate sounds of popular music and something called ‘Classical Crossover' emerges.

Classical Crossover is a type of music where trained performers delve into popular works with a wider commercial appeal--or when non-academic artists borrow some from the stately elegance, complexity, and power of classical. ‘Crossover’ music conceptually crosses the boundaries of the accepted canon of classical repertoire, then dives into the mainstream by borrowing elements from popular culture, be it traditional songs or traditional instruments.

This fusion takes the virtuosity and refinement of trained performers or the grandeur of an orchestra out of the conservatory and into the living room. Think Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra or Placido Domingo singing “White Christmas” and you've got the recipe.

Notable Artists: Charlotte Church, Yo-Yo Ma , Andrea Boccelli