See you in Berlin!
12-15 May 2025
The largest global gathering of professionals for all sectors of classical and art music.
Call for proposals
out now!
Classical:NEXT is a community effort with a jury selected programme.
Make a proposal for our 2025 editionin Berlin (12–15 May) for …
- Showcase concerts
- Club showcases
- Conference sessions
- Project pitches
Deadline:
4 October 2024
2025 Programme
Meet-up
Bridging Education and Industry: Innovation, Inclusion and the Digi-Shift
As the role of musicians evolves, Higher Music Education Institutions (HMEIs) are adapting to prepare students for success as socially responsible leaders. This session explores how to bridge education and industry and will present the work achieved in this regard from the side of HME, within the ARTEMIS project coordinated by the European Association of Conservatoires.
Coordinated by Finn Schumacker
with Monica Vejgaard, Celia Duffy
May 12, 2025, 12:00
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Kino 3
off C:N Presentation
Putting you at the heart of the orchestra
With Philharmonia: Virtual Orchestra we offer audiences the chance to put on a headset and experience our playing in ground-shaking detail, from the best seat in the house – onstage among the players.
Presenter: Marta Génova
with Sebastian Hagemeister, Henrik Oppermann
May 12, 2025, 12:00
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 9
Mentoring Session
Exploring and Communicating Your Unique Value
Classical musicians often neglect to explore their unique value, leading to discomfort in self-promotion. These mentoring sessions will help participants recognize their individuality and raise awareness about leveraging digital tools to enhance visibility and build a strong personal brand.
With Tiziana Tentoni
May 12, 2025, 12:15
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Opportunities and challenges of playing by heart
More and more orchestras and ensembles are playing entire symphonic works from memory – a trend seems to be emerging. What is the motivation behind it? Will this practice catch on, even outside the independent scene?
With Justus Wille
May 12, 2025, 12:15
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Self-manage and dynamically develop your artistic career as an musician
Can an artist be their own concert agent? A short meeting with young musicians beginning their careers as musicians or organisers. Are you dreaming of a unique career? Don’t wait for the phone to ring, take things into your own hands.
With Prof. Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf
May 12, 2025, 12:15
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Overcoming financial barriers to help musicians reach their full potential
Access to high-quality instruments is essential for musicians to reach their full potential. However, the high cost of these instruments presents a significant challenge, particularly for young artists. This session will explore innovative solutions to help musicians overcome financial barriers and gain access to the instruments they need to advance their careers.
With Anja Schulze
May 12, 2025, 12:15
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Meet-up
Kick-start Classical:NEXT with inspiring connections
Kick off the conference with a warm and welcoming gathering! Join us at the bar in the Foyer after registration for an inspiring meet-up dedicated to women passionate about shaping the future of classical music and the performing arts.
Coordinated by Ashia Grzesik
May 12, 2025, 12:30
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Bar Foyer
Meet-up
The gap between amateurs and professionals
Sharing thoughts on how the gap between amateurs and professions can be bridged and considering if it should it be bridged at all. Plus, what can composers themselves do to place their works with choirs?
Coordinated by Bernhard Heß
May 12, 2025, 12:30
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Meet-up
Exploring New Horizons in Classical Music Performance
What will the classical concert of the future look like? How can we sustain and expand audiences while balancing tradition and innovation? A recent study by music festival Heidelberger Frühling and market research institute GIM provides key insights into audience preferences and the challenges of concert formats.
Coordinated by Sonia Simmenauer
Coordinated by Johannes Everke
Coordinated by Johannes Everke
with Floriane Schroetter, Simon Holst, Marlene Brüggen
May 12, 2025, 13:00
- 14:00
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
Official welcome to Classical:NEXT
Join us for the inaugural 2025 session in Berlin, where Fabienne Krause, Managing Director of Classical:NEXT, and Aliena Haig, Senior Communications Manager, welcoming you to the twelfth edition of Classical:NEXT together with Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, a figure of forward-thinking prowess and leading advocate for music, the arts, accessibility and the development of musical talent.
Chaired by Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
with Fabienne Krause, Aliena Haig
May 12, 2025, 14:00
- 14:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Conference
The Classical:NEXT user’s guide
PRESENTATION | A special session designed specifically for new delegates, especially those new to large B2B gatherings, to help them maximise all of the available opportunities at Classical:NEXT.
Chaired by Fabienne Krause
with Aliena Haig
May 12, 2025, 15:00
- 15:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Conference
Artistic leadership of socially and musically diverse ensembles
WORKSHOP l Gain an insight into artistic leadership with socially and artistically diverse groups. Practical music making, questions and dynamic conversation.
Chaired by Sigrún Sævarsdóttir-Griffiths
May 12, 2025, 15:15
- 16:00
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
Breaking the Cycle of "We Should"
INTERACTIVE PANEL | Real change in the classical music industry starts with honest conversations and bold action. Let’s challenge the status quo with some spicy questions and inspire progress together!
Chaired by Kian Jazdi
with Dorothee Kalbhenn, Beat Fehlmann, Hannah Bregler
May 12, 2025, 15:30
- 16:30
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Meet-up
What you've always wanted to talk about but never dared to
A candid, off-the-record exchange between orchestra managers, addressing the complex internal and external challenges they face and exploring possible solutions together.
Coordinated by Gerald Mertens
Coordinated by Pamela Coats
Coordinated by Pamela Coats
May 12, 2025, 15:45
- 16:45
Colosseum
, Kino 4
off C:N Showcase, Showcase
(Faroe Islands)
The Faroe Islands may be a small country, but it boasts a thriving music scene across all genres. Someone once said that the Faroe Islands must have the largest music scene on the planet per capita—and we believe that might just be true.
Presenter: Kristina Thede Johansen
with Ólavur Jakobsen
May 12, 2025, 16:00
- 16:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Conference
How to make classical music meaningfully accessible for disabled people
INTERACTIVE PANEL | Three leading British changemaking organizations explore what accessibility truly means. Join representatives from Attitude is Everything, Drake Music, and Black Lives in Music for a reflective session on achieving accessibility and inclusion.
Chaired by Paul Hawkins
with Sally Currie, Roger Wilson
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Project Pitch
A cutting-edge experience for VR
What if anyone could play music in the concert hall? Concerts of the Future invites you to sit on stage in a cutting-edge VR experience, performing alongside musicians – no experience required.
Presenter: Dr. Ciaran Frame
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Why do we long for connections? With “Let’s Play: Connection Loading”, Godot Komplex, Ella Estrella Tischa, and Christina Mäckelburg created a hybrid concert project exploring connections with oneself, the environment, and others.
Presenter: Johannes Worms
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Habūb (Writings of Sand and Water) is an immersive experience combining sound, live music, video mapping, and performance.
Presenter: Prof. Carmen Gil Vrolijk
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Mobilephoneorchestra.com (MPO) is an inclusive concept for contemporary classical music, engaging youth with smartphones in expressive performances with professional orchestras/ensembles/soloists.
Presenter: Anders Lind
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Led by internationally acclaimed artist Rachel Jones, Hey, Maudie radically redefines creative models in opera by combining literature, poetry, music and fashion.
Presenter: Rachel Jones
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
The Game is an innovative operatic stage work by British-Turkish composer Elif Nur Karlıdağ, blending opera with a narrative-driven video game to push the boundaries of both art forms.
Presenter: Elif Nur Karlıdağ
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Experience the Future of Creativity
OK AI is a mobile AI-powered concert venue where artificial intelligence collaborates with musicians and visual artists to create an immersive, interactive experience, redefining the boundaries of live performance and creative partnership.
Presenter: Dominique Vleeshouwers
May 12, 2025, 16:30
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Conference
Solving the problem of the second performance
INTERACTIVE PANEL | Resonate aims to inspire more performances, recordings and broadcasts of outstanding contemporary repertoire, as chosen by orchestras, whilst strengthening approaches to programming this music for the benefit of audiences, composers and players in the UK and overseas.
Chaired by Elizabeth Sills
with Naomi Belshaw, Dr. Dobrinka Tabakova, Sam McShane
May 12, 2025, 16:45
- 17:45
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
A hyper-local approach to community place-making
INTERACTIVE PANEL | What better way to define the orchestra’s role in modern society, than to ask the community itself? The session highlights a hyperlocal approach to building community partnerships, exploring co-curating projects and the experience of genuinely embedding an orchestra in its community.
Chaired by David Burke
with Rachael Perrin, Campbell Parker
May 12, 2025, 17:00
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Showcase
(Ukraine/Finland)
A patchwork-like recital of extra-short contemporary solo violin works between 1 and 40 seconds long. Featuring 55 pieces from 50 composers, heavily inspired by the early punk scenes this program condenses intensities into a surge played non-stop. A bit punk, a bit crazy, a bit inebriated.
Presenter: Orest Smovzh
May 12, 2025, 17:00
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Meet-up
Exploring East-meets-West Synergy through Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo
Hong Kong has long been fostering artistic exchange and innovation, its classical music scene a bridge that blends Eastern influences with Western traditions, creating groundbreaking works.
Coordinated by Leung Kin-fung
with Louis Siu
May 12, 2025, 17:15
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Opening Night
Piano meets the rare contra alto clarinet.
May 12, 2025, 19:00
- 23:00
KühlhausBerlin
Opening Night
(Piano and voice)
May 12, 2025, 19:00
- 23:00
KühlhausBerlin
Opening Night
The vision string quartet is one of the most exciting ensembles in today’s music scene.
May 12, 2025, 19:00
- 23:00
KühlhausBerlin
Opening Night
The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO Berlin) was highlighted as the “orchestral think tank” among the capital city’s orchestras by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
May 12, 2025, 19:00
- 23:00
KühlhausBerlin
Opening Night
Weltenwandern – a music-theater collage about bird migration
May 12, 2025, 19:00
- 23:00
KühlhausBerlin
off C:N Presentation
Putting you at the heart of the orchestra
With Philharmonia: Virtual Orchestra we offer audiences the chance to put on a headset and experience our playing in ground-shaking detail, from the best seat in the house – onstage among the players.
Presenter: Marta Génova
with Sebastian Hagemeister, Henrik Oppermann
May 13, 2025, 10:00
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 9
Mentoring Session
Exploring and Communicating Your Unique Value
Classical musicians often neglect to explore their unique value, leading to discomfort in self-promotion. These mentoring sessions will help participants recognize their individuality and raise awareness about leveraging digital tools to enhance visibility and build a strong personal brand.
With Tiziana Tentoni
May 13, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
New ways in enhancing engagement and creativity
Music pedagogy is facing new challenges. What do we do when learners’ motivation for persistent learning declines? How do we change teaching methods that would improve their concentration and raise their interest for the long term?
With Susanna Ertolahti-Mertanen
May 13, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Develop your international network!
You are an artist or a music professional and would like to work more at international level. In this session, we will discuss strategies to develop your own international network, including objectives and expected benefits, tools, implications on your organisation and its development.
With Helena De Winter
May 13, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Overcoming financial barriers to help musicians reach their full potential
Access to high-quality instruments is essential for musicians to reach their full potential. However, the high cost of these instruments presents a significant challenge, particularly for young artists. This session will explore innovative solutions to help musicians overcome financial barriers and gain access to the instruments they need to advance their careers.
With Anja Schulze
May 13, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Conference
Exploring alternative ways of working to reposition in a modern world
INTERACTIVE PANEL | “The existing orchestral model is a barrier to our ability to develop the artform of classical music and reposition it in a modern world. Reevaluating the orchestral model today is a key part of classical music’s survival strategy” – Toks Dada.
Chaired by Toks Dada
with Linda Begbie, John Harte, Jonathan Harper
May 13, 2025, 10:30
- 11:45
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
Practical strategies for building inclusive, flexible workplaces in Music
PRESENTATION | The expansive & inspirational work that PiPA does to keep us all moving towards fairer and more accessible workplaces is more important now than ever.
Chaired by Anna Ehnold-Danailov
May 13, 2025, 11:00
- 11:45
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Conference
How to succeed in your net zero journey in classical music
INTERACTIVE PANEL | If we in the cultural business can’t establish a sustainability culture, who else can? The good news is, there’s a solution for every challenge. It’s time for us to lead the way.
Chaired by Lea Brückner
with Jacob Sylvester Bilabel, Jean-Frédéric Caron, Aliena Haig
May 13, 2025, 11:15
- 12:30
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Meet-up
Invite only international speed meetings & networking event
Country Connections is an annual networking event that brings together delegates from around the world for quick fire meetings. These meetings will facilitate introductions and broker business connections with practitioners and companies from around the globe.
Coordinated by Larry Heath
May 13, 2025, 11:45
- 12:45
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Conference
The power of regional collaboration and practical tools to highlight underserved musical diversity
PRESENTATION | Beyond the usual classical music hotspots and established repertoire, lies an immense wealth of exciting musical creativity and opportunity. But how can we form collaborations and develop tools to meaningfully boost engagement? Come and be inspired by the initiatives led through Ibermúsicas, and discover the hidden gems of Ibero-American classical music!
Chaired by Francisco Varela
May 13, 2025, 12:00
- 13:00
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Film Showcase
Die Wandlung is an art film inspired by Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, visually narrating an ancient Romanian legend.
Presenter: Michael Riemer
May 13, 2025, 12:00
- 13:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Film Showcase
The project ‘DNA – Dance Now Always’ with Martin Fröst and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra aims to take a new look into Beethovens 7th symphony by approaching it in the context of its time as well as following it into the present.
Presenter: Hans Kipfer
May 13, 2025, 12:00
- 13:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Film Showcase
The project “Ophelia, the Hysterical” is a new proposal for the performance of the traditional repertoire, “Drei Lieder der Ophelia”, Op.67, by Richard Strauss, presented in three short audiovisual episodes.
Presenter: Nívea Renata Alencar de Freitas
May 13, 2025, 12:00
- 13:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Meet-up
Strategies for the DIY Music Community.
“Not everyone who works in music works for large organisations. Many of us have to wear multiple hats to get our work heard and produce the projects we want to create. We have to do it all ourselves including fundraising, marketing, booking, recording, releasing and so much more. It has always been difficult. However, often someone else has been through the same thing as you and is willing to share their experience.
Coordinated by Matthew Whiteside
with Romina Lischka
May 13, 2025, 12:15
- 13:15
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
Insights from the new German Festival Study
INTERACTIVE PANEL | A 2025 government-funded study by the cooperation partners Initiative Musik with the Bundesstiftung LiveKultur and the German Music Information Centre provides a comprehensive cross-genre analysis of Germany’s music festival landscape.
Chaired by Stephan SchulmeistratChaired by Dorothee Kalbhenn
with Dorothea Heinze, Timo Varelmann, Vala Halldors, Sophie Detremmerie, Anselm Cybinski
May 13, 2025, 12:30
- 13:45
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Conference
Why your orchestra’s branding isn’t attracting new audiences
PRESENTATION | “We have finally found a way to measure if your orchestra’s brand is attracting or deterring new audiences and what people actually think when they encounter your brand for the first time.”
Chaired by Cecilie Szkotak Nielsen
with Søren Mikael Rasmussen, Sabrina Solis
May 13, 2025, 13:00
- 14:00
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Conference
Come play at future intersections of technology, literacy, and creativity
WORKSHOP | What might the future of digital literacy look like for creative communities in 2035? And how might technological skills drive positive outcomes, innovation and opportunity?
Chaired by Suzanne Stein
with Patti Schmidt, Rhyna Thompson
May 13, 2025, 13:30
- 14:45
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Meet-up
Sharing insights on global trends in art music
Join the STATUS network for an open discussion addressing global trends and challenges in art music. STATUS, a Nordic network of music professionals, has pioneered a “share and mirror” model to foster collaborative reflection and knowledge exchange.
Coordinated by Tuuli Elo
Coordinated by Regin Petersen
Coordinated by Signy Leifsdottir
Coordinated by Regin Petersen
Coordinated by Signy Leifsdottir
May 13, 2025, 13:30
- 14:30
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
Empowering communities through music and collective action
PRESENTATION | Using music as a tool for inclusion, we redefine cultural rights and empower vulnerable communities through innovative musical repertoires.
Chaired by María Juliana Velásquez Trujillo
with Diego Zapata, Paulo Salazar
May 13, 2025, 13:45
- 14:45
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Project Pitch
With “KULT”, the Orchester im Treppenhaus questions concert habits and establishes new rituals: Twenty-three musicians and a conductor unleash the concert hall – and the audience.
Presenter: Thomas Posth
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Inner Life is both a composition and an alchemical formula—a game and an artistic experiment. Wim Henderickx (1962-2022) crafted a seven-chapter score, each lasting seven minutes, for a core ensemble of seven musicians.
Presenter: Maja Lozic
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Hyperreal Immersive Sound
Imagine the space transformed into a whimsical, musical forest through sound; melodies dance around the audience like birds, strings envelop the audience as forest mist, the air shakes as a bassline thunders across the ground… This is ‘Ravel in the Forest’.
Presenter: Burke Turner
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Presenting fantastical, experimental, collaborative and placed-based events that extend your ears in unexpected ways through warped grooves, evocative soundscapes, augmented instruments, and found objects.
Presenter: Prof. Vanessa Tomlinson
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Let’s follow the Dutch example and create an international Composers’ Day to honour and celebrate living composers.
Presenter: Esther Gottschalk
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Immersive music celebrating neurodiversity
Double-ARIA nominated pianist/composer Nat Bartsch presents Forever Changed: a suite of ambient lullabies exploring her autistic/ADHD identity.
Presenter: Nat Bartsch
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Marceline merges contemporary dance and baroque music (with a string quartet, a dancer and a soprano) in a poetic and immersive scenography with lots of technology and participation for all kinds of audience, including babies and toddlers.
Presenter: Albert Vilà
May 13, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Conference
Navigating the challenge of public funding cuts
INTERACTIVE PANEL | With governments globally cutting funding for the arts, industry expert Mark Pemberton leads a session on navigating the challenge and forging solutions.
Chaired by Mark Pemberton
with Aurélie Foucher, Dr. Juliana Hodkinson
May 13, 2025, 14:15
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Conference
Mark your calendar for 8-11 April 2026!
Join us for a moment of celebration and anticipation as we unveil the host city for Classical:NEXT 2026! This special session will feature surprise guests and exclusive insights into what’s in store next year. Whether you’re curious, excited, or just love a good reveal, you won’t want to miss this announcement. Be there when the secret is finally out!
Chaired by Fabienne KrauseChaired by Laszlo Harkanyi
with András Lelkes, Sára Venczel
May 13, 2025, 14:45
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Conference
How artist management, labels and music conservatories collaborate
INTERACTIVE PANEL | “Our world is in the middle of various transformations, so is our music business. In order to keep our wonderful eco-system healthy and alive, it is our goal to find new models and alliances for helping artists with a sustainable career.”
Chaired by Alexander Hollensteiner
with Avi Avital, Valérie Groß
May 13, 2025, 15:00
- 16:00
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Meet-up
A networking and sharing-of-information session by IAMIC
IAMIC (International Association of Music Centres) is an international network of organisations that collectively and collaboratively provide information and promote the music of our countries and regions.
Coordinated by Jonathan Grimes
May 13, 2025, 15:15
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Kino 4
off C:N Presentation
Inside Artists creates new perspectives at Beethovenfest Bonn
How can the potential of artistic practice be utilised as a driving force for the development of cultural institutions?
Presenter: Prof. Dr. Martin Zierold
with Philipp Seliger, Dorothea Gregor, Franziska Ritter, Daniel Arkadij Gerzenberg
May 13, 2025, 15:15
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Showcase
(Australia)
Jane Aubourg is a composer, violinist and zine maker based on Dhawaral Country (Wollongong, NSW Australia). In her major solo project she composes and performs on Anita Johnson’s sculpture Play Me Mend Me.
Presenter: Jane Aubourg
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:00
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Mentoring Session
Online marketing that builds meaningful connections and funds your mission
You get to ask specific questions regarding your YouTube strategy to help carry out actionable items on how to build a meaningful online community, and improve your audience engagement. You will also learn firsthand on how to use YouTube Analytics to make artistic and business decisions to help fund your mission.
With Eric Mrugala
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Create your unique brand as a classical musician and build your fan base
In today’s evolving classical music industry, building a personal artistic brand is no longer optional—it’s essential for long-term success. This session, “Building your own Artistic Brand as a Musician,” addresses this important topic by discussing the necessity of building a personal connection to audiences via digital platforms through communication and relationship.
With Michelle Lynne
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Develop your international network!
You are an artist or a music professional and would like to work more at international level. In this session, we will discuss strategies to develop your own international network, including objectives and expected benefits, tools, implications on your organisation and its development.
With Helena De Winter
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Understanding how your music might be placed in TV or film
Are you a classical musician/composer or ensemble interested in getting your existing music placed in film and TV? Navigating the sync world can be complex, understanding who the key decision-makers are crucial to success.
With Naomi Belshaw
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
off C:N Presentation
Unlocking new dimensions with immersive hyperreal sound
This two-hour session explores the creative and experiential potential of immersive hyperreal sound in classical and classically inspired music.
Presenter: Ole Bækhøj
with Maestro Ralf Weikert, Belle Chen, Burke Turner, Igor Longato, Ian Caballero, Göran Andersson
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 6
Mentoring Session
How major labels work today
Curious about how major record labels operate behind the scenes? This mentoring session offers an insider’s view on the modern recording industry.
With Kleopatra Sofroniou
May 13, 2025, 15:30
- 16:15
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Conference
Rethinking the history of music through a global lens
PRESENTATION | Did you know music of composers like Haydn or Mozart originated in places like Persia, Africa, and China? Come learn about this interesting history.
Chaired by Vincent Sneed
May 13, 2025, 15:45
- 16:30
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Meet-up
Sharing insights, experiences and perspectives on exporting classical music
In an ever-evolving landscape—marked by rising protectionism, new market access regulations, and shifts in funding structures and cultural policies—classical and contemporary music professionals must continuously rethink their strategies to fulfil their missions and ensure long-term stability. International development is becoming increasingly significant and is now a key focus in today’s cultural and economic climate.
Coordinated by Giancarlo Staffetti
May 13, 2025, 16:00
- 17:00
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Showcase
(Indonesia/UK)
Aris Daryono is an Indonesian composer, traditional gamelan musician, and educator based in London. His music is deeply rooted in his gamelan heritage, which he explores and integrates with Western ensembles and electronic elements to craft distinctive soundscapes.
Presenter: Aris Daryono
May 13, 2025, 16:30
- 17:00
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Conference
Orchestras - a political entity and political force?
PRESENTATION | Is classical music above the political and social trends and issues of our time? No!
Join us in exploring how the classical music industry can shape the future through programming and communication!
Join us in exploring how the classical music industry can shape the future through programming and communication!
Chaired by Marlene Brüggen
with Henriette Kupke
May 13, 2025, 16:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Conference
Where do we stand and what are the future trends?
INTERACTIVE PANEL | The panel discussion will delve into the issue of the availability and accessibility of cultural content on digital platforms, questioning the multifaceted role of algorithmic recommendations in shaping visibility for creators and affecting cultural diversity.
Chaired by Esther Gottschalk
with Zahra Mani, Dr. Jannick Kirk Sørensen
May 13, 2025, 16:45
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
Using virtual reality to break down barriers to the orchestral experience
DISCUSSION & PRACTICE | An interactive session with the creators behind Philharmonia: Virtual Orchestra. Find out how to attract new audiences to the concert hall with a virtual reality experience from the heart of the orchestra.
Chaired by Marta Génova
with Sebastian Hagemeister, Henrik Oppermann
May 13, 2025, 17:15
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 9
Showcase
(UK/Ireland)
A spellbinding collaboration between two musical powerhouses.
Presenter: Catrin Finch Presenter: Aoife Ní Bhriain
May 13, 2025, 17:30
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Showcase
(Brazil)
Brazilian composer Rafael Macedo has performed with artists such as Hermeto Pascoal and UAKTI. Talvez uma dansa is the fourth original project by Minas Gerais composer, released in 2023, by the record label Rocinante.
Presenter: Rafael Macedo
May 13, 2025, 20:00
- 20:30
Säälchen
Showcase
(UK)
The Komuna Collective is a group of artists, DJs and musicians committed to experimentation.
Presenter: Komuna Collective
May 13, 2025, 21:00
- 21:30
Säälchen
Showcase
(USA)
Formed in 2020 in New York, the Anzû Quartet is an all-star ensemble dedicated to the music of our time and the recent canon.
Presenter: Anzû Quartet
May 13, 2025, 22:00
- 22:30
Säälchen
Showcase
(Germany)
Roman Rofalski, pianist and composer, has rooted his musical life in the urge for constant change. Always searching for new frontiers, he experiments with various styles, aiming to remove the artificial boundaries between composed classical music, improvised modern jazz and contemporary electronics.
Presenter: Roman Rofalski
May 13, 2025, 22:30
- 23:15
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Turkey/Germany)
Composer, pianist and electronic artist Kaan Bulak and trumpet virtuoso Simon Höfele present their sonically immersing album “No Clouds in Haraz” in a program with their own works framed by excursions to Giacinto Scelsi and improvisations.
Presenter: Kaan Bulak Presenter: Simon Höfele
May 13, 2025, 23:15
- 23:45
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Germany)
Roman Rofalski, pianist and composer, has rooted his musical life in the urge for constant change. Always searching for new frontiers, he experiments with various styles, aiming to remove the artificial boundaries between composed classical music, improvised modern jazz and contemporary electronics.
Presenter: Roman Rofalski
May 13, 2025, 23:45
- 00:15
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Switzerland/Spain)
AIR is Roberto Maqueda’s first solo project, inspired by the multi-layering concept inherent to percussion. This project combines amplified instruments with solenoid valve modules, creating analog drum machines.
Presenter: Roberto Maqueda
May 14, 2025, 00:15
- 00:45
Kater Blau
off C:N Presentation
Putting you at the heart of the orchestra
With Philharmonia: Virtual Orchestra we offer audiences the chance to put on a headset and experience our playing in ground-shaking detail, from the best seat in the house – onstage among the players.
Presenter: Marta Génova
with Sebastian Hagemeister, Henrik Oppermann
May 14, 2025, 10:00
- 18:00
Colosseum
, Kino 9
Mentoring Session
Online marketing that builds meaningful connections and funds your mission
You get to ask specific questions regarding your YouTube strategy to help carry out actionable items on how to build a meaningful online community, and improve your audience engagement. You will also learn firsthand on how to use YouTube Analytics to make artistic and business decisions to help fund your mission.
With Eric Mrugala
May 14, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
New ways in enhancing engagement and creativity
Music pedagogy is facing new challenges. What do we do when learners’ motivation for persistent learning declines? How do we change teaching methods that would improve their concentration and raise their interest for the long term?
With Susanna Ertolahti-Mertanen
May 14, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Create your unique brand as a classical musician and build your fan base
In today’s evolving classical music industry, building a personal artistic brand is no longer optional—it’s essential for long-term success. This session, “Building your own Artistic Brand as a Musician,” addresses this important topic by discussing the necessity of building a personal connection to audiences via digital platforms through communication and relationship.
With Michelle Lynne
May 14, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Understanding how your music might be placed in TV or film
Are you a classical musician/composer or ensemble interested in getting your existing music placed in film and TV? Navigating the sync world can be complex, understanding who the key decision-makers are crucial to success.
With Naomi Belshaw
May 14, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Mentoring Session
Self-manage and dynamically develop your artistic career as an musician
Can an artist be their own concert agent? A short meeting with young musicians beginning their careers as musicians or organisers. Are you dreaming of a unique career? Don’t wait for the phone to ring, take things into your own hands.
With Prof. Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf
May 14, 2025, 10:15
- 11:00
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Conference
Reimagining musical participation for art music audiences
WORKSHOP | How do you get 10,000 people to play art music on the kazoo? Join us for a hands-on workshop that takes a deep dive into audience participation.
Chaired by Dr. Ciaran Frame
May 14, 2025, 10:30
- 11:15
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
Decentering Institutional Norms in Classical Music
PRESENTATION | The classical music sector is said to be highly inert and resistant to change. How do we crack and transform these institutional “default” settings?
Chaired by Leyla Ercan
May 14, 2025, 11:00
- 11:45
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
Using self-determination theory to demonstrate social impact
DISCUSSION & PRACTICE | Discover how to foster advocacy for music’s social impact using insights from sports psychology and Self-Determination Theory.
Chaired by Fiona Stevens
with Michelle Robinson
May 14, 2025, 11:15
- 12:15
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Meet-up
One-on-One Conversations on Current Topics Steered by EFA
Join the ‘Networking Session’, coordinated by the European Festivals Association (EFA), for a dynamic series of one-on-one conversations with professionals from the global music sector. This networking space offers an opportunity to meet new colleagues, share insights, and have focused discussions on key industry topics.
Coordinated by Luana Santos
May 14, 2025, 11:30
- 12:30
Colosseum
, Luna Bar
Conference
Live classical music builds listening skills beyond the concert hall
DISCUSSION & PRACTICE | Good listening is hard. Can music help? In this discussion, we draw on neuroscience, social history and mindfulness to explore the unique ways in which live classical music can deepen communication skills with benefits that reach beyond the concert hall.
Chaired by Dr. Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim
with Lucilla Schmidinger, Dr. Hansjakob Ziemer
May 14, 2025, 11:45
- 12:45
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Showcase
Tarozzi-Walker Duo (Italy)
A contemporary re-interpretation of female folksongs of northern Italy.
Presenter: Silvia Tarozzi Presenter: Deborah Walker
May 14, 2025, 12:00
- 12:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Film Showcase
This series follows Brussels Philharmonic bassist Thomas Fiorini through the process of realising his lifelong dream of recording and performing a concerto for bass guitar.
Presenter: Sonja Kochoutina
May 14, 2025, 12:00
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Film Showcase
PNO (Prepared New Objects) is a contemporary music performance and experimental theater piece born from a sociological exploration and reflection on the piano.
Presenter: Kim Jaehoon
May 14, 2025, 12:00
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Film Showcase
In May 2023, parallel to the official Mahler Festival in Leipzig, KLASSIK underground presented the “Wunderhorn Festival” in the underground Moritzbastei next door to the Gewandhaus.
Presenter: Tahlia Petrosian
May 14, 2025, 12:00
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Meet-up
Finding the next format: how can print, digital and radio engage audiences in the digital era?
Join this targeted networking session for press and media featuring a panel discussion with leading voices from print, radio and digital publications on how classical music journalism can embrace new formats to engage audiences in the digital era.
Coordinated by Laszlo Harkanyi
Coordinated by Paul Bräuer
Coordinated by Paul Bräuer
with David Zsoldos, Cristina Comandasu, Benjamin Alber
May 14, 2025, 12:15
- 13:15
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
Discussing insights and implications from current research projects
INTERACTIVE PANEL | How can we investigate audiences and their experiences at innovative concerts? Let’s explore research approaches and discuss how we can translate research findings into practice.
Chaired by Lea Jakob
with Nina Paul, Sarah Price
May 14, 2025, 12:30
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Showcase
(UK/NZ)
NYX is a London-based collective of artists working at the intersection of choral music and electronic music performance. Led by music director Sian O’Gorman, their work explores connections between the body, architecture, and nature to create music that bridges the ancient and the futuristic.
Presenter: NYX
May 14, 2025, 13:00
- 13:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Conference
Tailor-made solutions to let flexibility and creativity thrive
INTERACTIVE PANEL | This panel portrays the diversity in the sector of indie labels. Tailor-made solutions for different kinds of recording projects.
Chaired by Timo Hagemeister
with Becky Lees, Sebastian Solte, Lorraine Buzea, Dr Emma Pauncefort
May 14, 2025, 13:00
- 14:15
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Meet-up
Share best practice examples and nightmare experiences
Participants of the session, including representatives of orchestras and ensembles for young professionals as well as stakeholders and partners will briefly share best practice examples and total fails from real life.
Coordinated by Maximilian von Aulock
May 14, 2025, 13:15
- 14:00
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Project Pitch
One-hour space opera in motion manga.
“Beethoven Wars, a fight for peace” is a high-tech immersive scenic project in motion manga, built on Beethoven’s stage music “König Stephan op.117” and “Die Ruinen von Athen op.113”, performed live by the Insula orchestra and choir accentus.
Presenter: David Lehodey
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
A cross-disciplinary performance in the museum
Nestled in museums and galleries, a versatile cast creates a dialogue between the transience of the performing arts and the enduring nature of the visual arts, where the gaze of the spectator adds the final brushstroke.
Presenter: Maja Lozic
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
A sonic and visual feast for the senses
A Book of Hours is a meditation on the mystery of time and the ways we spend our days, combining a world of projected movement and a quirky live musical score.
Presenter: Tamara Kohler
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
A programme of music by and about trailblazing Japanese women, featuring Francesca Le Lohé’s song cycle for satsuma biwa performer Akiko Kubota.
Presenter: Francesca Le Lohé
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
Garden of Vanished Pleasures is a multimedia, staged song-cycle devised and directed by Tim Albery, with music by composers Cecilia Livingston and Donna McKevitt.
Presenter: Lawrence Cherney
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
An enchanting reflection on a child’s emotions in this sensitive yet powerful project by one of Poland’s leading wind quintets.
Presenter: Alicja Kieruzalska
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
Project Pitch
A Road to Wesleyville is a project that brings together traditional Western Classical Music and Indigenous fiddling culture.
Presenter: Elissa Lee
May 14, 2025, 14:00
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 7
off C:N Presentation
Harnessing AI to promote diversity in classical music concert programming
OpusXX presents an intelligent research assistant to help musicians and institutions integrate works by women composers in their concert programming.
Presenter: Vanessa Chartrand
with Michael Taylor
May 14, 2025, 14:15
- 15:15
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Conference
Empowering Musicians: A Workshop on Mental Health and Systemic Change in the Classical Music Sector
WORKSHOP | How can we create systemic change to support musicians’ mental health? Join mental health experts as they present the ‘TUNE-IN’ framework, addressing challenges in the music sector. The workshop includes insights and strategies for mental health support / leadership training, and a call to action.
Chaired by Heather O’Donnell
with Angela Büche, Paul Roe
May 14, 2025, 14:30
- 15:45
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Meet-up
Why AI is just a tool—and what truly matters is how we use it
With AI, we’ve reached a point where machines can even mimic what we call creativity—yet this alone has little value unless we apply it meaningfully.
Coordinated by Tristan Post
Coordinated by Ulrike Köstinger
Coordinated by Ulrike Köstinger
with Hannes Tronsberg, David Skudlik, Oliver Proske
May 14, 2025, 14:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 4
Conference
A Celebration of Black and Queer Voices Through Song and Vogue
PRESENTATION | The difficulties and pay-offs of creating a safe and accessible space within traditional concert structures for nontraditional programming and audiences.
Chaired by Kunal Lahiry
with Lucilla Schmidinger
May 14, 2025, 15:15
- 16:00
Colosseum
, Kino 3
off C:N Presentation
Unlocking new dimensions with immersive hyperreal sound
This two-hour session explores the creative and experiential potential of immersive hyperreal sound in classical and classically inspired music.
Presenter: Ole Bækhøj
with Maestro Ralf Weikert, Belle Chen, Burke Turner, Igor Longato, Ian Caballero, Göran Andersson
May 14, 2025, 15:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 6
Conference
The conversation we need to start today in order to face what’s NEXT
PRESENTATION | Mental health professionals play a key role in fostering innovation, sustainability and excellence within the classical music community.
Chaired by Francisca Fernandez
May 14, 2025, 16:00
- 16:45
Colosseum
, Kino 2
Meet-up
How to counteract brain drain and skills shortage
NJO stands for innovation and change in (classical) music. It provides space for thought and development, inspiring new concepts for cultural practice. It advises and inspires the classical music scene according to its motto “Musical life at the pulse of society”.
Coordinated by Katharina von Radowitz
Coordinated by Alexander von Nell
Coordinated by Alexander von Nell
May 14, 2025, 16:15
- 17:15
Colosseum
, Kino 5
Conference
Prevention of harassment and violence in orchestras and concert hall
INTERACTIVE PANEL | The growing concern and cases in orchestras about moral and sexual harassment and violence is one of the hottest subjects today in orchestras.
Chaired by Aline Sam-Giao
with Lisi Andrés, Bill Chandler
May 14, 2025, 16:30
- 17:30
Colosseum
, Kino 3
Innovation Awards, Showcase
(Ukraine)
DZ’OB is an electro-acoustic ensemble led by Oleksii Badin, hailing from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro and established in 2014. The group fuses classical and contemporary electronic music genres such as IDM and techno creating a distinctive and eclectic sound. Their music seamlessly bridges the realms of Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Baroque classical traditions, resulting in a truly unique auditory experience.
Presenter: DZ’OB
May 14, 2025, 18:00
- 19:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Innovation Awards
The Classical:NEXT Innovation Award highlights groundbreaking projects that are shaping the future of classical music worldwide. It celebrates individuals and initiatives that drive progress through bold, yet thoughtful and effective, experimentation in ideas, planning, and action.
May 14, 2025, 18:00
- 19:30
Colosseum
, Kino 10
Showcase
(Taiwan)
Twincussion delivers dynamic percussion performances that seamlessly blend Taiwanese folk music, classical pieces, and electronic elements.
Presenter: Jen-Ting Chien Presenter: Jen-Yu Chien
May 14, 2025, 20:30
- 21:00
Säälchen
off C:N Showcase
Berlin Club Stage
Dive into the mesmerising soundscape of Alex Stolze’s latest record “רעש ורוח, – Raash ve Ruach”: this work weaves together the contrasts of contemporary classical music and electronica, where the violin takes center stage, singing in place of words during a time that often feels speechless.
Presenter: Alex Stolze
May 14, 2025, 21:00
- 21:30
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Iceland)
The Icelandic flute septet viibra performs four works from their celebrated debut album viibra, released last year, which explores the possibilities of expanded flute playing.
Presenter: viibra
May 14, 2025, 21:30
- 22:00
Säälchen
off C:N Showcase
Berlin Club Stage
Johannes Motschmann’s music combines new compositional techniques with the raw energy of older, analogue synthesizers, creating an unmistakable sound in the process.
Presenter: Johannes Motschmann
May 14, 2025, 22:00
- 22:30
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Hungary)
The new production of Bartók Prize winning jazz and contemporary singer Veronika Harcsa, harpist Anastasia Razvalyaeva and composer Bálint Bolcsó translates Schubert’s music into borderless musical language.
Presenter: Schubert NOW!
May 14, 2025, 22:30
- 23:00
Säälchen
Showcase
(UK)
Gabriel Prokofiev is a composer of classical and electronic music, and the founder of Nonclassical record label and events (launched in 2004). Through Nonclassical, he is one of the leading proponents of presenting classical music in non-traditional venues, and pioneered the concept of bringing DJ sets to late-night classical gigs.
Presenter: Gabriel Prokofiev
May 14, 2025, 22:30
- 23:15
Kater Blau
off C:N Showcase
Berlin Club Stage
The renowned musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist STUDNITZKY presents a new, electronic interpretation from his moving collaboration with the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra MEMENTO ODESA. The ECHO Jazz and OPUS Klassik awardwinner embodies genre-spanning Sound Art across jazz, classical and electronic music.
Presenter: Sebastian Studnitzky
May 14, 2025, 23:00
- 23:30
Kater Blau
Showcase
(Germany)
The arcis_collective reimagines chamber music by fusing it with the dance of today into a joint performing act. With the club production Live ❤️ Arcis, the group turns the venue into an immersive space and an up-close experience.
Presenter: arcis_collective
May 14, 2025, 23:15
- 23:45
Kater Blau
Showcase
(UK)
Gabriel Prokofiev is a composer of classical and electronic music, and the founder of Nonclassical record label and events (launched in 2004). Through Nonclassical, he is one of the leading proponents of presenting classical music in non-traditional venues, and pioneered the concept of bringing DJ sets to late-night classical gigs.
Presenter: Gabriel Prokofiev
May 14, 2025, 23:45
- 00:15
Kater Blau
Conference
How standing out creates a storm of impact | Boat Cruise
DISCUSSION & PRACTICE | Dare to be different: This session turns authenticity into action and celebrates the power of not fitting in.
Chaired by Sandra Janke
