Except classical isn't dead. People still "speak" it.

yes but not to the same degree that they used to so it's not as relevant anymore.

I'm not sure that's true actually. As someone else pointed out in this thread, historically it was music of the elite. It's probably more accessible to the average Joe today than it's ever been.

Definitely. With recordings available, Youtube, iTunes... it's way more accessible and has been ever since Edison's phonograph. Performance tickets are cheaper now then they were in the 18th and 19th centuries (and on average, are WAY cheaper than tickets to a rock concert).

Also, there are plenty of websites to get public domain sheet music from all subgenres of classical and marching band music. My favourite sites are IMSLP and Flute Tunes. The music is more accessible for the average musician who can read sheet music, unlike way back in the 18th century where the only people who could play an instrument were the very wealthy because they could actually afford the instrument! And the lower classes could not afford the lessons, again unlike today.

even with all of that it's still not on the same level as other genres. Also the average person couldn't list off any current composers. The amount of current composers releasing material through labels has decreased as well.

I think it could definitely still be relevant. You'd be surprised how many people actually enjoy listening to classical music. I adore many of the tracks in movies and tend to download them. I also like the classics like Beethoven and Mozart.

I think people are maybe not reading the OP. She said compared to today's music. I wouldn't put classical right up next to contemporary music. Sure it might still be relevant overall but not up against the rest of the other genres that were mentioned.

She didn't even ask if it's relevance is as quantifiably large as contemporary genres. She asked if it "still has a place amongst today's audience, or has it been relegated to more specific listeners (i.e. music students, people learning instruments, elderly people)?"

I think it's clear that it's appeal goes beyond music students and the elderly.

Well yes to answer the second part of her question it does go beyond elderly and music students but to put it up against the level of those other genres as being actively listened to.

I don't think so.

Also she did ask about their relevance compared to contemporary, it says it in the first part of her question. Compared to..

Latin still has a practical use in religion, technology and science. And is the base for 753 million speakers of Romance language speakers. And makes up a very large percentage of the English language which is spoken by 375 million speakers worldwide. Latin doesn't have native speakers who were taught from birth and use it as their primary language, true, some call it a "dead language." But how dead or irrelevant can it be if a solid billion plus people use words from it in one form or another throughout the world today? Saying it is not relevant is relative considering the Latin language influence on languages used today.

The same analogy can be made with the different periods of Art music. Baroque, Classical and Romantic each has their place in time and history, but did each really die at the end of their respect periods? How irrelevant can something be if people kept it around for so long?