Classical music has been pushed over the edge of what's cool for far too long. In this talk - with clips from some of the greatest composers in history - Rowan explains why all of us need classical music and why the world of Classical music is a bit like Game of Thrones.

Rowan spends his nine-to-fives trying not to blow himself up in a particle accelerator (Diamond Light Source, Oxfordshire). When he's not doing physics, he likes to read, write stories (set in weird places like coral reefs) and do all things musical.
His musical endeavours include gigging and recording in multiple rock bands, playing various instruments (some normal, some very strange) and singing for the University of Surrey Big Band.
He grew up in Southampton and is a lifelong supporter of Saints FC.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx