classical music refers to a genre that is rooted in the traditions of western music, that includes music made from around the 11th century to present day - the genre is difficult to characterize, because of the very broad range of forms and styles over a long span of history that fall into the category of 'classical music', however, one of the most typical descriptors of this style is that the repertoire to be played is almost always written down in musical notation, called a score.

the musical style usually includes but is not limited to opera, chamber music, choral pieces and music requiring a full orchestra - in the classical music scene, rio has several symphony orchestras and irregular appearances by chamber groups and solists.