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The Future of Queer Inclusion in Classical Music

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Words by Youth Music NextGen writer, Erin Townsend | @erintownsendmusic

This LGBT+ History Month, Youth Music NextGen writer Erin Townsend dives into the paradox of queer visibility in music—where LGBTQ+ artists dominate the charts, yet still battle deep-rooted barriers, especially in classical music—and explores how musicians and advocates are reshaping the industry to be truly inclusive.

chappell roan performs on stage
Pictured: Chappell Roan | Credit: Getty

Given the state of popular music currently, one may think we are living in a utopian age for queer musicians. With artists such as Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish  topping the charts, LGBTQ+ music is out in the mainstream louder and prouder than ever before. Yet the reality for young queer people is starkly different: many feel ostracised and often turn to music for support.

Trans youth, in particular, are facing a systematic withdrawal of their rights through the government’s ban on puberty blockers for under-18s and years-long waits for life-saving healthcare. In the US, the recent executive orders outright deny their existence. This contradiction raises an urgent question: why are queer people celebrated publicly in the music industry but still oppressed politically? And more importantly, what can be done to challenge this?

Classical Music and the Burden of Tradition

As a classical musician, I feel this contradiction even more keenly. Growing up in Brighton, I was surrounded by the unapologetic queer joy of the country’s gay capital, but this always felt somewhat at odds with the music we played in my youth orchestra. Although I had many queer friends who were classical musicians and even met my ex-girlfriend through orchestra, I never felt I could openly express myself through the music, nor did I find much to identify with in the pieces we played.

This disconnect can be traced back to the 19th-century institutionalisation of classical music. As Austro-German nationalism flourished, the values of patriarchy and heteronormativity became deeply embedded in the music and its surrounding discourse. These “masterworks”  still dominate concert programming today, forming a canon that largely excludes the voices of women, the Global Majority, and LGBTQ+ composers.

Over recent years, there has been increasing awareness of the systemic disadvantages faced by female composers and uncovering of the hidden histories of Black classical music, yet queer histories in classical music remain largely overlooked.

Why is there so much less awareness around LGBTQ+ history, culture and contributions to the field? And how can we actively queer classical music to assert its radical potential?

I believe music’s role in society allows it to be a powerful vehicle for social change, and classical music is no exception. Yet the challenges of contemporary cultural politics and classical music’s complex legacy must be carefully considered to ensure this change is executed sensitively and effectively, rather than just reinforcing the heteropatriarchal status quo.

Navigating Identity in Classical Music Spaces

Leaving Brighton for university in Oxford was a culture shock. Finding myself among extremely talented young musicians, many from privileged backgrounds, I always felt somewhat different. In this hyper-competitive environment, I turned to outreach and advocacy, focusing on equal access for musicians of all identities.

Throughout my degree, I have campaigned for equal treatment of all students in music regardless of their background, worked to demystify Oxbridge for prospective students, and brought music into the local community through projects at schools, care homes and hospices. My academic research explores the lived experiences of marginalised musicians and social inequality, particularly of class in classical music. Music, in this sense, offers a profound lens into the power structures that shape our world.

Queer Trailblazers in Classical Music History

My research into queer history has revealed many inspiring figures who challenge the archetypal perception of classical music.

These musicians reassure me that there is a place for people like me in the world of classical music too. They show that queer people have always existed in the field and shaped its progress. Their work challenges us to rethink the genre’s boundaries and recognise its full spectrum of influences.

Queering Classical Music Through Programming and Performance

The contribution of cultural organisations to the increasing visibility of queerness must not be overlooked. Thoughtful programming can be used as a form of activism, something that I endeavour to practice in my work with the Alternative Canon Project. Founded by students, ACP seeks to highlight underrepresented and underperformed music through regular concerts, a resource library and our yearly RETUNE Festival. We seek to provide high-quality performances of pieces that have traditionally been excluded from the canon, reasserting their cultural and aesthetic value.

a person plays the violin, pictured from the neck down
Photo from National Orchestra for All | Credit: Matt Belcher

Founded by conductor Oliver Zeffman in 2023, Classical Pride platforms the contributions of LGBTQ+ people in classical music on a national level. It was the first Pride celebration ever by any major European symphony orchestra or concert hall. Last year, it expanded to a five-day festival with events ranging from choral to orchestral to drag performance, the finale of which I saw. It was a wonderful night with spectacular performances of Copland, Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, Cassandra Miller and a new commission by Jake Heggie, all presented in an informative and accessible format by Nick Grimshaw. It went beyond mere tokenism to foster a genuinely inclusive attitude throughout the whole festival experience, from gender-neutral toilets to the inclusion of a community choir, a free concert in the Barbican foyer before to another earlier in the week spotlighting young professionals at the start of their careers. It was a brilliant example of queering the traditional classical music performance environment, clearly one that had been thought about in depth and executed with much attention to detail. Its radical queerness went beyond its progressive programming and overall conception of the event to incorporate a deep commitment to community and accessibility too.

Community Music: A Lifeline for Queer Youth

The need for visibility in classical music extends beyond elite institutions. It emphasises the importance of community music to the whole ecosystem, part of the same mission to emancipate classical music from the 19th-century ideological baggage that it still carries. Grassroots projects such as the Youth Music-funded Curious Arts show how transformative music can be for queer youth. Legal, psychological and medical support are vital, but so are artistic spaces where LGBTQ+ young people can connect, express themselves, and find belonging. These community interventions support queer kids socially and holistically.

The Future of Queer Inclusion in Classical Music

Queering classical music involves questioning the everyday systems that we take for granted in society and challenging ourselves to strive for greater equality, inclusivity, kindness and community. It must be intersectional, addressing inequalities of other marginalised groups of gender, race, class, and disability.

With careful thought and authentic commitment, classical music can evolve into a space where queer voices are as visible as they are now in pop. Current questions around access and equality, diversity and inclusion in the industry must be tackled sensitively and professionally. Yet the progress made by organisations, composers, and advocates, offers hope that change is not only possible – it’s already happening.

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