Alternative Classical

09/10/2026

What are the challenges you have faced as a composer?

- 'Impostor syndrome, and feeling like your music should always be “intellectual” and “innovative”'
- The felt need to go into more commercial avenues and by extension potentially less interesting…
- The expectations establishments put on us in their calls to fit standards we don’t even know about

More answers in the latest article on our site.

05/10/2026

Jobs & opportunities this month:

- Artist coordinator at artist management agency
- Director of music at cathedral
- Composition competition for emerging choral composers

All opportunities can be found on our jobs board, or you can sign up for our mailing list to be notified.

05/10/2026

"Where did the pressure come from? From myself, yes, but also the world of classical music and opera. There is an illusion sold to us that imperfection is allowed: this is misleading. No, perfection is indeed the goal, whether we say it or not."

I am writing this about a week after telling my agents to pull me out of all staged opera contracts, current, planned, and tentative.

01/10/2026

It's October! Here are our recommendations for the month, including an immersive opera performed in an office, a live podcast event, an experimental festival, and a sound bath experience.

The concerts and events to book tickets for this month.

29/09/2026

24/09/2026

14 pieces of choral music for 40 voices, and the chance to hear three of these incredible pieces live 👇

Choral music in 40 parts, including a world premiere performance this autumn.

21/09/2026

Louder for the people in the back! Are you someone who didn't get the chance to pursue music initially, or didn't hit your stride with it until later? Would be very interested to hear your experiences, and also any suggestions for how to improve the system.

20/09/2026

Only about 13% of women have a hand span large enough to play repeated, fast octaves comfortably on the standard keyboard, whereas 76% of men do.

Only 13 percent of women can comfortably span an octave on a standard piano. Few thought to ask whether the piano was the problem.

18/09/2026

Classical music has an unspoken definition of success. Nobody hands it to you on your first day at conservatoire, but somehow everyone seems to absorb it.

Are Classical Musicians Chasing Careers They Don't Actually Want?

The unspoken definition of “success”.

17/09/2026

Coming up in London, Cambridge & Norwich: music from three centuries interspersed with commentary from "reformed comedian" Natalie Haynes

https://www.alternativeclassical.co.uk/concerts-calendar/ancient-greek-meze