9. Roundtable 3

Classical music is often seen as a practice that struggles to react to contemporary events. Yet, it does register societal changes, with perhaps the most important being climate change. There is a sense of urgency, as well as a need for concrete action on this topic within the field. This chapter discusses how the classical music sector might respond. In this roundtable, Peter Peters is joined by four panellists with a stake in the issue: Teemu Kirjonen, general manager of the Finnish Lahti Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra that decided to go carbon neutral; Detlev Grooß from Germany, a violist and also chairperson of the Orchester des Wandels (the orchestra of change), which is a group of musicians from various orchestras around Germany who want to address climate issues; Georgina MacDonell Finlayson who is sustainability manager at the Scottish Nevis Ensemble, Scotland’s ‘street orchestra’, who play in unusual locations and tour extensively around their home country; and finally, Jan Jaap Knol who is the director of the Boekman Foundation, which is the institute for arts culture and related policy in the Netherlands, known for their research in the cultural sector. Each gives their own perspective on how their organisations are beginning to address the most pressing issue of our time.