Reverb is an exciting and strikingly different series of concerts starting this week at London’s Roundhouse, bringing together a genre-bending selection of performances from dynamic classical orchestras to inspired saucepan bashing.

A key aim of all this ecleticism is to bring classical music to a younger audience by breaking away from some of the more stuffy conventions of such events. Therefore performers will join the audience for informal chats at the bar, everyone can bring drinks in to the main space and the music will be accompanied by striking visuals.

Having spent recent weeks working on the social media campaign for the series, and in the process interviewing many of the key artists, we’ve been inspired by the wide variety of creativity and enthusiasm there is towards removing these historical barriers.

From the passionate conductor Charles Hazelwood enthusing “saying someone who likes Drum & Bass won’t like Wagner or a fan opera of can’t appreciate R&B is bollocks” to Madonna’s favourite pianists the Labeque sisters speaking about creating their foundation to connect young people to classical piano music via graphics and videos, and composer Rolf Hind discussing his plans for balancing experiments in audience participation with the need not to appear patronising or gimmicky.

SUNNATA excerpt – Rolf Hind by AlchemyContent

These stars of the classical world are very keen to engage their music with a thoroughly contemporary audience, and judging by their approach, there is no reason why the crossover need be awkward or contrived. They are more in tune with today’s young audiences than many pop or obscure underground artists of the moment. And you’ll find them Twittering about it too…

Join the Reverb @ The Roundhouse Facebook Group for daily updates and links to some amazing examples of what’s in store. There’s also a group ticket discount and some events are free for under 26’s. For full program details plus info on the workshops and talks around the concerts, check the Roundhouse website.