Music on Ice at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships

The 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships take place March 25th - March 30th at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. WCRB radio audio engineer Téa Mottolese moonlights as a figure skater — she previewed this year's competition, with an extra focus on the musical highlights.

Historically, the conversation about music in figure skating has been almost exclusively around women’s skating, which has deep roots in ballet, opera, and more traditional forms of theater, hence the popularity of music like The Firebird, Nessun Dorma, and The Four Seasons.

Figure skating audiences and competitors have long heard the masterworks of classical music, but, like concertgoers, the performances are never the same. Similar to a conductor, each skater, and by extension their choreographer, has a different interpretation of their music selection. However, the intention behind each choice is always the same: What story can I tell to the audience?

This remains more true now than ever, with the rise in prominence of the International Judging System (IJS), which has specific criteria for the interplay between a skater and their music. While IJS was initially put into place to standardize scoring across all levels of competition, it incentivized a renewed emphasis on the artistry of a program at a time when much of the skating world had been dominated by great feats of athleticism. In a sport traditionally admired for its grace, beauty, and delicate nature, we were, apparently, losing the "essence of skating" (oh, the drama).

For the skating world, this revolution has been an interesting one, defined primarily by changes in music choice, for if a skater doesn’t "feel it," how can the audience or the judges? Today’s figure skating competitions provide audiences with a wondrous collection of music: classical music, soundtracks from movies, musical theater, jazz, pop music, hip hop, folk music, EDM, world music, opera, ballet, and everything in between — and skaters are bringing their best emotional connections to the ice.

All of this is to say, the key to good program music is not always the piece of music, but the relationship the skater has to it, and their ability to communicate that through movement. So while the IJS was intended to standardize technical elements, it also encouraged a new age of inspired performance, which has been really beautiful to witness.

The mixtape for this year’s Figure Skating World Championships is a perfect example: the music selections could not be more diverse! It’s very exciting. For our classical fiends, you’ll be interested to see that there is a wide range of pieces, from Liszt’s Liebestraum and Saint-Saëns Samson and Delilah to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and a Concerto in C Minor by Vivaldi.

Here’s my shortlist of skaters to look out for, based on music choice and performance:

Women’s — Kaori Sakamoto, Japan

Three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto is lauded for her power, consistency, and connection with the audience. Her excitement on the ice is palpable, and her intensity of emotion is riveting. Her short program this season is one to watch, as she performs to a mix of Gidon Kremer’s Resurrección del Ángel and La muerte del Ángel.

Men’s — Jason Brown, USA

Jason Brown is the competitor to watch for an exemplary model of artistry in skating. Since he stepped on to the national track, he has been a judge and crowd favorite, praised for his musicality and expression, along with gorgeous lines and choreographic finesse. In one word, he is breathtaking. Check out his long program to Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt.

Pairs — Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, Canada

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, 2024 World Pairs Champions, have redefined art on ice. The pair is well-connected emotionally, and exude technical prowess. Speed, height, synchronicity, and excitement are just some of the highlights of their skating. Their long program is set to a mix of "Siren’s Song" by Andrea Krux, "Mobula Rays" by David Flemming, Hans Zimmer, and Jacob Shea, "Lux" by Ryan Taubert, and "The Blue Planet" by David Flemming, Hans Zimmer, and Jacob Shea. (A recommendation from Eldbjørg Hemsing, perhaps?)

Dance — Madison Chock and Evan Bates, USA

Two-time World Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates are a crowd favorite with nearly a decade of skating together on the international track. Chock and Bates are known for their deep edges, impeccable turn synchronicity, and iconic storytelling — the components of a perfect dance team. Their 2024-2025 season free dance program to Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck leaves nothing to be desired; only a tap in your toes!