We celebrate 20 years of music promoter, record label and events producer Nonclassical. Over the past two decades, the organisation has been at the forefront of classical, experimental and electronic music, leading the way with innovative and genre-defying sounds. Robert Bound sits down with composer and founder Gabriel Prokofiev and composer Tonia Ko. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hello and welcome to Monocle on Culture.
I'm Robert Bound.
On today's show, we're dipping a toe into the fast moving world of avant garde music by exploring the life, times and works of a record label that lives on the fine line between classical music, experimental art, electronica and dance music.
Helpfully, it's called Non Classical and It's celebrating its 20th birthday with some artful musical parties in London.
I'll be speaking with its founder, Gabriel Prokofiev, also one of its key artists and another of its composers, Tonya Coe, about working with things that aren't quite instruments, showing the love for innovative musical forms and the importance of attracting an audience, that all important allure of live music.
So snuggle into your finest hi Fi headphones for a taste of musical exploration right here on Monocle On Culture.
Now, the bright eyed and sharp eared amongst you may well have seen and heard incongruous sights and sounds on the streets of London and seen the makings therefore of a music scene that mixes the orchestral, the classical, with the contemporary electronica dance music, loops and beats.
Maybe you've witnessed a double bass being manhandled through a nightclub or a piano being wheeled into a dance tent at a festival.
Well, that might have been a breadcrumb dropped by Non Classical.
Non Classical is a record label, event producer and promoter that's been celebrating its 20th birthday this year with a series of concerts that highlight its philosophy and roster.
They put on avant garde orchestral music in unlikely spaces and are known and loved for pushing the musical envelope and redefining genres of music.
Non Classical have also been instrumental in drawing new audiences to unusual music and performances.
The importance of events of liveness has also been key, as have recent collaborations with London's Barbican and London Symphony Orchestra.
Two significant ticks in the box, perhaps for Non classical in its 20th year.
So today we're speaking to its founder, the composer Gabriel Prokofiev.
Yes, grandson of that Prokofiev.
And then we'll speak to Tonia Coe, another composer and a key exponent of the Non Classical vibe.
First, here's Gabriel.
Gabriel, it's wonderful to have you here on the show today.
First of all, we should pop a virtual corp to non classical.