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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

A fascinating half-day symposium exploring how experimental darkroom processes inform the photographic practices of contemporary women, non-binary and trans artists. Expect lively presentations and discussions on techniques from cyanotypes and photograms, to printing on leaves, fruit and fabrics. Art of Experimentation: Alternative Photography at Bristol Folk House.

Dubstep finally gets the glossy music tome treatment, courtesy of arch VICE / DJ Mag / Red Bull scribe Lauren Martin. She’ll be in the Brew launching this vital slice of subwise oral history into the world, with Kahn and Chris Farrell on the decks taking us back to the heady days of FWD>> and DMZ dread-topia. Serious ‘I was there m8’ nostalgia on offer for the local Skull Disco and Tectonic heads! AFTERSHOCK: The seismic impact of dubstep - Book launch party at Strange Brew.

It sure is! And this retelling rides in like the SparksNotes-in-shining-armour we’ve always dreamed of, transforming the 1000-page doorstopper into a hysterical one-man storytelling quest stuffed with elaborate handcrafted puppets and gleefully meta moments of existential crisis. Philosophical, poignant, wildly imaginative grassroots theatre at its very best! Don Quixote at Arnolfini.

Sell out warning! Co-signed by Corey Taylor himself, Slipknot’s nu-metal classics meet devilish burlesque seduction! Iconic genius in name and concept, Stripknot head up this absolute feast of alt cabaret delights alongside dazzling drag deviant Dis and smooth operator Unknown Amazon’s captivating one-king spectacle. STRIPKNOT - An Alternative Cabaret at Exchange.

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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