Why do pop musicians hide behind the phrase “Classically trained”? “Tossed into a bio or regurgitated in a feature article, that phrase—along with its cousins “classical background” and “classical studies”—can add depth to the frilliest of pop-culture images, leading some to think that a million-dollar contract is the only thing keeping their favorite artist from the recital hall. Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews’ violinist Boyd Tinsley, Beyoncé, and even the avant-hop producer the Automator, all have some form of ‘classical training.’ Here’s the problem: Few people outside of music students know what that really means.”