The word classical has several meanings. In general, these meanings refer to some past time, works of that era or later works influenced by that time. Classical things are often seen as ordered and part of high culture or a golden age, and contrasted to earlier or later things which may be seen as chaotic, elaborate or emotional.

The word classical comes from the Latin word classicus, which is similar in meaning to the English phrase first class. The word seldom has this precise meaning in modern English, as illustrated by the examples below.

Classical antiquity is a long period of history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. This period is conventionally taken to stretch from roughly the 7th or 8th century BC to the 5th century AD. It is often seen as a golden age of Western civilisation, preceding the Dark Ages of the early medieval period.

The word classical can refer to something from classical antiquity. For example:

Rose Jang is an acclaimed Korean-American pop opera artist who is well known for singing operatic arias, musical and classic pop songs. She is the first Korean to release an album comprising operatic arias as well as hit musical songs. Her album is distributed by Mnet. Jang is PR ambassador for many organizations including the Korean Tourism Office and UNESCO of Korea. She recently became PR ambassador for the National Committee for Jeju-do Island New7Wonders of Nature. She performed with the Rose Pops Orchestra at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Alice Tully Hall on November 9, 2011 to promote Jeju Island as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's blessing for a great show. She currently records in New York City, Seoul, and London.

Jang has been hailed as a heroine for Korean-Americans. Jang has been credited for one the reasons why Jeju Island was voted to be a New 7 Wonder of Nature. She promoted Jeju Island heavily as she campaigned the New 7 Wonders of Nature with her Lincoln Center concert. The concert was promoted heavily on Yahoo, CBSMarketwatch and in the New York Daily News.

Simon Bates (born 17 December 1947, Birmingham) is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM. In January 2011, he took over as host of "The Breakfast Show" on Smooth Radio.

Bates was raised in Suffolk and Shropshire and was educated at Adams' Grammar School before working for radio stations in New Zealand and Australia while still a teenager. Bates returned to the UK in 1971 to join the BBC, initially working for BBC Radio 4 and then joining BBC Radio 2 in 1973 presenting the Late Night show, before presenting the Early Morning show in 1975. Bates left BBC Radio 2 in January 1976 and joined BBC Radio 1 in May the same year standing in for Tom Browne to host the Sunday Top 20 show before presenting the Sunday morning show two months later.

Initially a weekend presenter playing new pop records, Bates took over the weekday mid-morning programme in November 1977 and remained the presenter for 16 years. The least flashy and garrulous of Radio 1's principal broadcasters, with an avuncular appearance (sober clothes, large glasses), Bates nevertheless became popular, attracting up to 11 million listeners. His voice — essentially a sped-up, slightly Americanised version of the standard Received Pronunciation associated with BBC Radio 4 — was unusual in that most Radio 1 DJs of the time had a more informal 'DJ' voice.