Trivia Quiz on 20th Century Classical Music
Updated: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
A ready-made music and arts quiz that you can use in virtual and in-person events (Zoom, Teams, YouTube Live, Twitch, conferences, meetings, classrooms, etc.)
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From Stravinsky and Shostakovich to Britten and Glass, this 20th‑century classical music quiz spans operas, symphonies, and legendary premieres. Ideal for music lovers and curious minds alike, it’s a lively, competitive challenge for groups of any size.
Cue the baton: this group trivia session dives into the bold sounds and big personalities that defined 20th‑century classical music. From landmark works and modernist breakthroughs to iconic conductors and star performers, your team will trade insights, debate guesses, and celebrate those “aha!” moments together—this one’s built for collaboration, not solo play. It’s perfect for music classes, orchestra socials, community clubs, or culture nights, and it shines in online or hybrid settings. Duplicate this quiz with a click and run it anywhere you gather—Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, YouTube Live, Twitch, Kick, or on stage at an in‑person event. Mix teams of novices and buffs to balance difficulty, set a timer per question to keep energy high, and consider bonus rounds like “Name That Composer,” “Opera and Oratorio,” or “Orchestration Spotlight.” Use a rotating captain or quick buzz‑in format to keep everyone engaged, and save a finale round for tiebreakers and big comebacks. Whether you’re warming up a rehearsal, hosting a department social, or streaming a culture quiz night, this set delivers a spirited, accessible challenge.
1. Who composed "The Fountains of Rome" and "The Pines of Rome"
A) Gustav Mahler
B) Camille Saint-Saëns
C) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
D) Respighi
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2. Who composed the opera "The Rake's Progress"
A) Gustav Mahler
B) Benjamin Britten
C) Georges Bizet
D) Stravinsky
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3. Which composer, born in Russia in 1882, became a French citizen in 1934, and died in New York in 1971
A) Stravinsky
B) Sergei Prokofiev
C) Sergei Rachmaninoff
D) Dmitri Shostakovich
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4. Whose symphony number seven is called the Leningrad
A) Tchaikovsky
B) Prokofiev
C) Shostakovich
D) Mahler
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5. Who wrote the opera 'the giant'
A) Sergei prokofiev
B) Igor Stravinsky
C) Giacomo Puccini
D) Gioachino Rossini
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6. Which opera singer was known as "La Stupenda"
A) Joan sutherland
B) Montserrat Caballé
C) Maria Callas
D) Renata Tebaldi
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7. Who composed the Overture to the Wasps
A) Edward Elgar
B) Gustav Holst
C) Benjamin Britten
D) Vaughan Williams
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8. Who composed "Sinfonia Antartica"
A) Ralph vaughan williama
B) Benjamin Britten
C) Gustav Holst
D) Edward Elgar
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9. Who composed the musical piece Carmina Burana
A) Ludwig van Beethoven
B) Carl orff
C) Johann Sebastian Bach
D) Richard Wagner
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10. Philip Glass wrote an opera about which famous person
A) Gandhi
B) Richard Nixon
C) Albert Einstein
D) Cleopatra
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11. Name The Russian Composer Who Wrote Peter & The Wolf
A) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
B) Sergei Prokofiev
C) Igor Stravinsky
D) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
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12. Which American Soprano Became The First Singer To Give A Solo Proms Recital In August 2000
A) Renée Fleming
B) Beverly Sills
C) Jessye Norman
D) Leontyne Price
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13. Which Suffolk town was the birthplace of Benjamin Britten?
A) Lowestoft
B) Ipswich
C) Bury St Edmunds
D) Southwold
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14. Who was the first American-born principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra?
A) Arturo Toscanini
B) Seiji Ozawa
C) Lorin Maazel
D) Leonard Bernstein
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15. In 1922, which composer scored Mussorgsky's piano piece Pictures at an Exhibition for full orchestra?
A) Ravel
B) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
C) Igor Stravinsky
D) Sergei Prokofiev
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16. The opera Peter Grimes was written by whom
A) Gustav Holst
B) Igor Stravinsky
C) Benjamin britten
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