Classical:NEXT is a “product” of the 21st century classical music industry, and in line with the trends, it is a “grassroots” one. Its international gatherings bring together all segments of the industry each year, and it is precisely because of these opportunities to meet that more and more people are aware of Classical:NEXT events. This year’s major event will take place in Berlin from 12 to 15 May. Fabienne Krause is Classical:NEXT’s longest-serving employee, driving force, leader, and managing director – I interviewed her online to give the wider public an idea of what Classical:NEXT is all about.

- hirdetés -

– How did Classical:NEXT start?

– Now an independent company, Classical:NEXT was originally launched by Piranha Arts as an offshoot of Womex, the World Music Expo. In 2015, I was part of the team when Womex was held in Budapest. I’ve been there several times, it’s a very exciting city culturally, especially in terms of classical music.

Classical:NEXT goes back even further, to 2011, when we were approached by independent German record labels asking if we could organise something specifically for the classical music industry: an international gathering where people from the sector could meet. Midem was already a thing of the past. We thought of an idea tailored to the specific needs of the classical music industry. What should the future look like? How can we create a positive vision, drive meaningful changes, and find financial solutions? What are the trends?

The first meeting was in Munich in 2012 with 700 participants, clearly showing that there was a strong need for the initiative. The conference rooms were full. The following year we met in Vienna, then in Rotterdam, Hanover and Berlin – proving that the event is not tied to a single city. In the meantime we have evolved and different networks have become linked to different cities. This is an advantage: through these connections we can present and integrate our network, our world.

From the beginning, our mission has been to create a truly global network, not just a European one. We want to get to know different cultures and music, and learn from each other by sharing best practices, and seeing how others have overcome difficulties. Another part of our mission is to look to the future – to find innovative ideas and improvements.

– What is the key? What is the main advantage of Classical:NEXT?

– Firstly, we are truly international. Secondly, we try to reach all sectors. All the players in classical music, from festivals to concert halls, publishers, startups, education, management, and, of course, the artists themselves, not forgetting the composers. When members of all sectors come together, meet and discuss challenges and difficulties, something real can be achieved.

From the outset, certain issues have evolved from year to year, such as the difficulties of streaming. Another constant question for concert halls and festivals is how to attract new audiences. In the beginning it was more about how to reach young audiences, but now the conversation has shifted toward reaching more diverse audiences. How can we reach different social groups? How can we integrate them better?

One more key question: are venues and platforms accessible enough? Around 20% of society faces mobility challenges. Are we offering them real opportunities, can we even get them interested? The financial model is another pressing issue. As we struggle to support culture in Europe, how can we create a more sustainable support system? How can we build a more effective and enduring model?

Perhaps the key is flexibility—the ability to adapt, even in our own work. Artificial intelligence is a relatively new but increasingly important topic, not only in terms of creativity but also in how we incorporate it into our daily tasks. Intellectual property presents another challenge, and again, as AI is an a challenge. Education is an area with its own set of complex issues. By addressing these topics, we want to help participants from around the world understand where we are, where we’re headed, and what the future might be.

Fabienne Krause (c) Twinematics

– So this is a large network run by C:N.

– Yes, but we are also like a family, a community, people who return year after year, build their own networks, and stay in touch online. They collaborate, and we benefit from that too. Our annual meeting lasts three and a half days, people stay the whole time, and we don’t give out day tickets, because our goal is to create longer meetings and lasting relationships, with real exchanges and real connections. That was the goal from the beginning, to create personal connections. You can clearly see it on the first day of each annual meeting: lots of conversations, emotions running high. The annual meeting is not just a conference. At the expo, exhibitors representing different countries present themselves, showcase their artists, their projects, their festivals, their composers, their activities. There are also individual exhibitors, publishers, streaming providers, start-ups, record labels, so it’s also a marketplace where conversations happen, discoveries are made, acquaintances are formed, all inspiring one another.

– And what happens between the major annual events?

– I’m the only full-time employee, so I work on it all year round, with a lot of communication and travel. As soon as C:N is over, we start planning for the next one. It’s communications work, and I travel to other conferences to see what’s going on in the world, motivating others to join the C:N family for next year’s meeting. We also have to plan for the medium term: where we want to be in 3 to 4 years, how we can grow, what we can improve, and where we can make enhancements. It’s a lot of work.

In 2023, Classical:NEXT became an independent company, separate from the project run by Piranha Arts. I run that company. Partly because of the pandemic situation, it seemed more practical. We have a new board and a new financial structure, based in Berlin. Managing it is also extra work and quite time-consuming.

– Do you have a separate office, or have you found a 21st century solution for that too?

– When we moved out, we created a project room, which is a shared office. It’s in a music school for string students, who use the building in the late afternoon and evening, so we’re free to be there outside these hours, which works well for us. We’ve also learnt that the better you can adapt, the easier it is to get through new crises and difficulties. The team has learnt this too, especially after the pandemic. We used to meet every day, but now we are more flexible.

– It seems to me that the concept and spatial interpretation of classical music have also broadened.

– Originally we were created specifically for classical music. Now we call it classical and art music to imply that we are not exclusively concerned with traditional classical music. Traditional classical music covers a short period of time. Contemporary music is very much in the foreground as an art form. C:N does not only cover Europe or the Western world. For example, there is an Indonesian artist using a traditional instrument who is connected to the Western world of composition. This also shows that classical music is not confined to Europe. Few people know that classical composers like Haydn have influenced music from all over the world, from Asia to Africa – something that tends to be neglected. We want to open up the world in that direction too.
The Showcase Festival is also unusual in the classical music world, because the concept of a showcase is much more associated with rock-pop culture, whereas classical music is more about competition. Soloists and groups present themselves, and we also want to showcase new forms of performance. We often encounter influences from other genres, which also broaden the horizon. We even feature DJs with classical contemporary samples. In other words, we try to expand the “classical” label. And our experience shows that it’s becoming more accepted, that musicians are daring to take more risks, and to be more open.

– How do you incorporate feedback?

– We send out questionnaires after the event, we also talk to participants, and we have a fellowship programme to get the next generation involved. We collect success stories and systematically review how the annual meeting can have an impact. There are new festivals, opportunities, we can help participants find new management, new joint projects or explore new directions.

Classical:NEXT (c) Twinematics

– So it’s a kind of matchmaking…

– Exactly, and it’s basically networking. We try to make networking as easy and natural as possible, so that nobody feels like “I’m new, I don’t know where I fit in.” We also encourage openness and a sense of community among young people, especially those who are just starting their careers.

We also have workshops for new members, with international support from different organisations, music education institutions, universities, and music export offices. We help everyone to find their place, and build connections. We prepare newcomers to realize their potential, and we try to keep all the panels at the conference open, so it’s not just a conversation among the initiated few. Many participants give feedback that they have met people they would never have met otherwise.

– László Harkányi, who used to work with the Papageno team and is now part of Classical:NEXT, drew my attention to the fact that this year’s opening speech in Berlin will be given by Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason. Together with her husband, she has won several awards and is an honorary member or president of several music institutions – a sign that music education and social diversity are priorities. What do we need to know about her?

– Based in London, Kadiatu is the mother of seven very talented and established musicians. She’s not a musician herself: she’s a writer and editor, but she has a very engaging way of telling the story of her family: how children choose instruments, how society enables it, how it supports them, who’s interested in classical music, where the interest comes from, and what support they’ve had from family. Her husband – the father of seven musician children – is a scientist.Their family’s story highlights important issues around cultural background and equality, showing that building a career as a Black person in classical music still comes with challenges. That’s part of the challenge: how do we break down those barriers, how do we overcome inequality, how do we broaden the audience? We are proud that she is giving the keynote opening speech: precisely because of the new generation.

– The event will be in Berlin this May, but it has been elsewhere and may be elsewhere in the future…

– We are not tied to Berlin or any other city, we are flexible. There is always a plan B. Funding is the basis, and we have to see how a city can support and host us. We consider how the arts and culture sector works, and what the C:N location could be. We could choose a different venue every two years and stay in Berlin in between. That is, if we get good offers, we will hold the meeting in another city in the alternate years. Flexibility and adaptability – that’s what we’re all about. Each city has its own mentality, which affects the way we work, the way we cooperate. So, we will see what the future brings.