What's On / Bristol Concerts, Theatre & Dance / classical

Classical Concerts in Bristol

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Bristol's Classical Scene

Bristol has a long history of classical music, with new talent emerging year upon year thanks to students at Bristol University’s prestigious department of music. The largest classical music performances see complete orchestras performing at St George’s Hall where natural acoustics continue to wow audiences of over five hundred guests. Contemporary solo performances have found home in Colston Hall’s second room, The Lantern. St Stephen’s church and the Victoria Rooms in Clifton are also essential venues for classical music and orchestras in Bristol.

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Our recent classical recommendations

PWYC! Shoal Collective and PM Press shine a very human light on the unbreakable strength of Palestinian women. Far from passive targets of Zionist trauma, this collection of interviews shows 11 individuals navigating networks of oppression to engage in tireless activism at home and abroad. The launch includes PWYC vegan dinner, video links with the interviewees + 50% of proceeds donated to the cause. 'Everything We Thought Was Beautiful' - Book Launch at BASE Social Centre, 14 Robertson Rd, Bristol, BS5 6JY.

Widow’s Rock n Rollium’s alt-cabaret joins forces with Bristol queer rock royalty Punka in a sweat-soaked variety show spanning drag, cosplay, circus and… emo ballet??? Soundtracked with live riot grrrl covers from the Punka house band and steered by the iron grip of burlesque domme Frances Widow, there’ll be enough latex-clad sideshow carnage happening here to short-circuit the Loco Klub grid… brace yrselves! Widow's Rock n Rollium X Punka presents AMPED UP Cabaret at Loco Klub.

They are the gods of cinephile hellfire, and they’ll die (again) if they want to! Bowing out after 150 offerings of B-movie obscurity, HFC does the DIY sci-fi double: Sun Ra’s astral emigration jazz odyssey Space is the Place + the rare-screened UFO cult, public-access, past-life improv madness of The Arrival. Come drown your obscure tears in the bar after, with original press giallo soundtracks played on very dirty needles. RIP! HELLFIRE VIDEO CLUB GOES OUT OF THIS WORLD at The Cube.

With a unique historical materialist perspective on the European witch-hunts, celebrated author and activist Elaine Graham-Leigh presents an argument that early capitalist development and social discipline – rather than misogyny and superstition – were their underlying driving force. A compelling slice of radical scholarship brought to the masses by the Bristol Counterfire team. Feminism and the European Witch-hunt at KIT FORM.

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What our editors say

“In their traditional contexts, the folk song traditions of Britain and Ireland have been, almost without exception, unaccompanied. Approaches to the accompaniment of folk songs from the early 20th century onwards have borrowed heavily from the conventions of classical and popular musics, often to the detriment of some of the subtleties and nuances of the traditional material.”
From: Rethinking Accompaniment for Traditional Songs - Workshop with Nick Hart

“In the second part of every class, we will apply this movement to traditional Cuban social dances such as Son Cubano, Chachachá and others, blending Afro-Cuban roots with social dance, and also exploring contemporary technique and basic classical dance concepts.”
From: AFROCUBAN & BODYMOVEMENT

“Deems Experiment (https://www.instagram.com/deems.experiment/) is a group of Bristol-based composers and instrumentalists whose style blends elements of jazz, classical music, hip hop, and math rock. For this night, the crowd will be graced with a duo composed of lead keyboardist Aondoyima ‘Deems’ Ioratim-Uba and bassist and drummer Munashe 'Kaps' Kapswarah (https://www.instagram.com/kaps.drumz/ from Grace Mack & The Pack, to take us through a journey of soulful melodies and smooth, mesmerising sounds.”
From: The Big Fish Bash Gig: Fundraiser for asylum seekers

“Scarlett Smith is an electroacoustic harpist and comedian. Tired of the harps demure, classical reputation, Scarlett’s debut solo show Any Objections? is a surreal quest to prove this instrument belongs far beyond the orchestra pit. Blending live looping covers of popular songs, self-produced indie-pop jingles and fast paced punch lines, the show is a playful celebration of creativity and harp innovation.”
From: Any Objections?

“In this immersive oil painting course, we will focus on painting the two angels from The Baptism of Christ, exploring the moment where High Renaissance naturalism truly comes alive. You’ll learn how to build luminous flesh and atmosphere using the Sfumato technique—Leonardo’s famously subtle, almost magical method of soft transitions. We’ll also dive deep into convincing drapery folds, understanding how fabric flows, settles, and supports form, and you’ll learn how to integrate gold leaf into your paintings, uniting brilliance with classical tradition.”
From: Masters & Apprentices