What is Classical:NEXT?

The international meeting and platform for all art music professionals

Conference / Expo / Showcases / Films / Networking

Classical:NEXT is the global networking and exchange hub dedicated exclusively to classical and art music, for all professionals – artists, managers, presenters, orchestras, labels, educators, press, media, filmmakers, publishers and more.

Classical:NEXT consists of an interactive conference, project pitches, showcase concerts, expo, innovation award and networking.

By taking part in Classical:NEXT, you join over 1,500 professionals from 50 countries worldwide.

We help the global scene optimise what this art form is and can be, as well as how it is presented, disseminated and received. We believe in planting seeds for positive change: Change for audiences, for society and for the professional art music ecosystem. We strive to unite all professionals who identify with classical and art music, providing them with a place to meet and connect, do business, brainstorm, create and be inspired.

A unique music meeting, which is..

… a “user generated content” platform
… a community project
… for all sectors
… for all countries
… for institutions and individuals on every budget level

Download PDF.

Call for proposals
out now!

Classical:NEXT is a community effort with a jury selected programme.

Make a proposal for our 2025 edition in Berlin (12–15 May) for …

Showcase concerts
Club showcases
Conference sessions
Project pitches

Deadline: 4 October 2024

A Unique Music Meeting

Last edition: Classical:NEXT 2026 in Budapest

1,000+

Professionals

50+

Countries

100+

Speakers

100+

Artists

What?

Classical:NEXT is made up of four main components: Showcases, Conference, the Expo and networking.

The Showcases are a series of short concerts featuring a wide range of artists and productions, offering artistic directors, concert bookers, journalists, and others a unique opportunity to gain an overview of current artistic activity, and to make new discoveries in a short amount of time.

Film Showcases offer creators the opportunity to screen innovative classical or art music films, connect with international professionals, spark cross-industry collaborations, and inspire new conversations.

The Conference offers presentations, seminars, discussions, one-to-one and roundtable mentoring sessions and other formats to help delegates tackle burning issues and to keep up with changes, trends and innovations around the world.

Project Pitches are targeted, fast-moving opportunities for creators and those on the lookout for new creations, a “seek-and-find” for collaboration and inspiration.

The Expo presents the work of labels, publishers, agents, festivals, associations, and more, providing a vibrant meeting point for all delegates and serving as the main hub for networking.

Building partnerships and meaningful connections is at the heart of Classical:NEXT, with global networking woven into every aspect of the event. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect, learn and share ideas with colleagues from around the world.

New to Classical:NEXT? We recommend starting with this great primer for C:N newbies written by Frank J. Oteri.

Oder ein Bericht aus deutscher Sicht gefällig? – Philipp Krechlak schreibt über die ‘Musikkonferenz mit Weltblick‘.

Why?

“Classical:NEXT unites the global classical and art music community, creating a worldwide movement to explore potential paths forward into the future.”

– Classical:NEXT mission statement

Classical:NEXT enables art music professionals from all sectors to work better together. A unified classical and art music scene increases relevance and effectiveness in both business and creative aspects and positive change within the professional scene, as well as society as a whole.

How?

Over the course of four days, hundreds of delegates meet, discuss and learn about, as well as from, each other. In addition to being a networking event, Classical:NEXT has established itself as a key opportunity to promote and explore new talent, new creative ideas and future-oriented business practices.

95% of delegates would like to come again and would recommend Classical:NEXT to colleagues.

– Classical:NEXT Online Survey

Who?

Classical:NEXT community members are cultural multipliers ranging from grass-roots DIYers to the most established companies and institutions, including Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Opera, Spotify, Universal, China National Symphony Orchestra, The Berlin Philharmonic, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and more.

Join now and connect with delegates from more than 700 companies.

Facts & Figures

Since our first edition in 2012, more than 5,000 professionals from all sectors have engaged with Classical:NEXT, making it the largest international gathering for art music innovators. The 13th edition took place in Budapest, 8–11 April 2026, gathering 1,000 professionals from 54 countries.

Classical:NEXT Online

Classical:NEXT is not just an annual meeting: it is a year-round worldwide movement for all sectors and all approaches in art music. Stay connected and network via our online community and directory. Keep in touch with contacts old and new.

The Jury

Hand-picking the most promising and innovative ideas for our programme, the Jury is made up of independent and international members who select the Showcases, Conferences and Project Pitches from community proposals. Below are the members of the Classical:NEXT 2027 Jury:

Heloisa Amaral

BRAZIL/NORWAY | Director, Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival

Heloisa Amaral is a Brazilian pianist and curator known for her work at the intersection of performance, contemporary music, and artistic research. She lectures in curatorial practices at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague and holds a doctorate in artistic research from the Orpheus Institute and Leiden University. As a performer, Amaral plays solo and with Ensemble neoN and Duo Hellqvist/Amaral. Since 2023, she has been the director of Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival.

Françoise Clerc

FRANCE | Co-Founder, Hyphene & Managing Director, Fondation Alexandre Tharaud

Françoise is always at the intersection of artistic direction and project production. Her 360° career path is internationally oriented, built through positions she held at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Festival International d’Aix-en-Provence, and Théâtre National de l’Odéon in France. She also collaborated with Les Arts Florissants, the North Carolina University Orchestra, and IMG Artists.

In 2005, she co-founded the Festival de Valloires with BBC Radio 3 producer Adam Gatehouse, and in 2010, she joined the cultural services of the French Embassy in London to establish the Classical and Contemporary Music Department. She set up the Franco-British fund for contemporary music, Diaphonique, and created « All About Piano! Festival » in 2012, which over five editions featured more than 120 pianists.

She became the UK correspondent for the Bureau Export, then in late 2016 its Director of Classical and Jazz, before joining the Centre national de la musique in 2020.

Since 2022, she has focused on strategic expertise and international development, co-founding Hyphene in 2023 as an associate partner and since 2023, she has worked alongside pianist Alexandre Tharaud, serving as Managing Director of his foundation.

Dr. Weida Wang

CHINA/UNITED KINGDOM | Researcher, producer and cultural consultant

Dr. Weida Wang is a London-based researcher, producer and cultural consultant working across music, contemporary performance and the creative industries. He is the author of The Western Classical Music Industry in Twenty-First-Century China: A Dialectical Crescendo (Routledge).

He previously worked with the Beijing Music Festival and currently develops Chinese contemporary performance for international presentation, most recently producing Strange Tales from Liaozhai at ZOO Southside during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

His academic experience spans teaching, research and invited lectures at institutions including the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the University of Liverpool, Point Blank Music School and Heidelberg University. He completed his doctorate at Royal Holloway, University of London.

He now works independently as a scholar and producer. His research addresses music and politics, sound art and innovation in performance, examining how institutions, markets and cultural histories shape artistic production and circulation across different social and political contexts.

“I’m delighted to be joining the Classical:NEXT jury and look forward to discovering bold ideas and compelling performances that combine artistic ambition with critical thinking, and open up new ways of creating, presenting and sharing classical music.”

Esther Viñuela

SPAIN/CANADA | Cross-sector music & culture

Esther Viñuela is a music and cultural professional with a cross-sector career spanning international cooperation, fundraising, strategic partnerships, project development and evaluation, entrepreneurship, and artistic programming. She has worked across music, other performing arts and the visual arts, collaborating with both large institutions and smaller organisations, as well as developing independent and self-initiated projects. In recent years, a central focus of her work has been the professional development of young musicians, particularly through entrepreneurship, employability and the creation of sustainable career pathways. Her practice combines strategic and financial thinking with an artist’s perspective, informed by her own experience as a pianist and a strong attention to artistic quality. She approaches projects through multiple lenses, considering artistic ambition alongside audiences, context, financial sustainability, partnerships, sector relevance and long-term impact.

“I’m drawn to ideas where artistic quality, relevance and sustainability reinforce one another — projects that understand their context, connect meaningfully with audiences and partners, and create new possibilities for artists and the sector.”

Tamara Kohler

AUSTRALIA/UK | Co-Artistic Director of Rubiks Collective

Tamara Kohler is Co-Artistic Director and flautist of award-winning Australian art music ensemble Rubiks Collective, celebrated for their “incredibly personal, strangely spiritual and ultimately deeply touching” performances (Limelight Magazine). Rubiks reimagines classical music through bold cross-art collaborations, untold stories, and gender equity initiatives. Under Tamara’s leadership, the ensemble has commissioned over 50 works, won the inaugural 2021 MRC Percy Grainger Award, and earned international acclaim for its Pythia Prize.

Tamara is also Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Contemporary Music for All (CoMA), a UK-based participatory new music charity dedicated to broadening community participation and increasing accessibility for underrepresented minorities in the arts. Noted for her “fearless execution,” Tamara has performed extensively across Australia, Europe, America, and Asia with leading new music ensembles. She has given countless Australian and world premieres, appearing at festivals including Klangwerkstatt Festival (DE), the Eighth Blackbird Creative Lab (USA), Australia Fest (IN), Bang on a Can Summer Festival (USA), and Darmstadt International Festival for New Music (DE). She has held multiple residencies at the Banff Centre (CAN), was a 2017 Classical Freedman Fellowship finalist, and represented Australia as a Classical:NEXT Fellow in 2020.

A passionate advocate for underrepresented voices, Tamara has led community initiatives with arts charities Raw Material (Brixton, UK) and Short Black Opera (Melbourne, AUS). As an in-demand creative arts leader and mentor, she has delivered keynotes across Germany, Belgium, and England, and guest presented at the University of Melbourne, Australian National Academy of Music, Monash University, and Melbourne Recital Centre. She also serves as a trustee for Magpie Dance Company.

Bill Neri

USA/SPAIN | Senior Director of Global Partnerships and Ensembles, Sphinx Organization

Bill Neri is the Senior Director of Global Partnerships and Ensembles for the Sphinx Organization where he leads a portfolio of programs while stewarding the organisation’s institutional relationships across its international and domestic partner network. His work spans cultural diplomacy, international partnership strategy, and artist based ambassadorship, connecting Sphinx’s mission to a growing network of orchestras, presenters, and cultural institutions.

As General Manager of Sphinx Virtuosi, the organization’s flagship touring ensemble, Bill oversees performances in over 20 cities annually across the globe. He also leads the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS).

Beyond his work at Sphinx, Bill consults on artistic planning, logistics, and creative strategy for individuals and organizations. Drawing on his own experience building a career across continents, he helps others design engagements that are as efficient as they are artistically meaningful.

As a performer, Bill has appeared on stages across the United States, Europe, and Asia, a foundation that continues to inform his work as an arts leader. Bill earned his Bachelor of Music degree under the guidance of Victoria Chiang at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

Carolina Noguera

COLOMBIA | Composer and Associate Professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

With a career spanning over twenty years, prominent Colombian composer Carolina Noguera has had her works performed across Europe and the Americas. She is an associate professor and chairs the Composition Department at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.

Her work explores memory, forgetting, and spirituality within contemporary music. Her doctoral thesis on Carnaval in Colombian musical composition led to the award-winning article “Formas de recuerdo sin territorio”; (2018 Research Award from the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra). Additionally, she was commissioned by the Südwestrundfunk to write “Ferocious: contorting femininities” for the 100th anniversary of the Donaueschinger Musiktage. Performed by Klangforum Wien and later recorded by Nueva Filarmonía, this piece explores her feminine lineage by contorting the rhythmic patterns of Colombian Rajaleña music, resulting in an album that earned a nomination at the Grammy Awards in 2024.

Additionally, she is currently composer-in-residence for the PRESENCIAS program of the National University of Colombia.

Paweł Szczepanik

POLAND | Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Kraków for Culture, Artistic Director of Kromer Festival Biecz

Paweł Szczepanik previously served as music editor-in-chief at Polish Radio Kraków and its cultural station, Radio Kraków Kultura. He was also involved in festivals including Sacrum Profanum, Actus Humanus and the Bach Festival in Świdnica.

At the Kraków Festival Office, he co-programmed Opera Rara and Misteria Paschalia and led communications for Capella Cracoviensis. He has also worked with cultural organisations and ensembles, including the {oh!} Historical Orchestra Foundation and the Radiofonia Association and Foundation.

A graduate in journalism and social communication, he has worked at the intersection of culture, media and music—from early and classical to contemporary, experimental and interdisciplinary projects. He listens almost exclusively to sung poetry: rap, death metal, seventeenth-century opera and airs de cour.

Łukasz Strusiński

POLAND | Classical Music Programmer and Cultural Manager

Łukasz Strusiński is a versatile Polish classical music programmer and cultural manager based in Warsaw. His more than 25 years’ experience in this field encompasses a wide range of activities and projects – from early music to contemporary music, and from chamber ensembles to orchestras. He has worked for leading Polish musical and cultural institutions and non-governmental organisations, such as the Warsaw Philharmonic and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute (2008–2021). Whilst serving as chief programmer at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, he had the opportunity to collaborate internationally on interdisciplinary projects.

He currently serves as head of programming for the renowned Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra and is responsible for the overall programming strategy for the chamber and symphonic seasons at the orchestra’s newly opened venues, as well as for educational and community programmes.

“I found that the Expo worked particularly well. It gave me a look into different countries, continents as well as organisations and the current work each of them are occupied with. The expo was for me the best place to meet people and learn about their current directions and projects by having in-depth and broad conversations.”

– Tang Tee Khoon, Arts Presenter & Concert Violinist, Singapore