What happens when the elitist space of “Western” classical music seeks to diversify itself? And what are the social effects worked through diversity discourses in classical music institutions?

The Sound of Difference addresses these concerns by critically examining how diversity work takes shape in a cultural sector so deeply implicated in hierarchies of class, structures of whiteness, and legacies of imperialism. The book draws from ethnographic and interview data to analyse how diversity discourses are constructed through the organisational and creative processes of music production.

From rehearsal and performance practices to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector's commitment to change, Kolbe reveals the institutional constraints and precarious labour relations in diversity work in classical music. She skilfully considers what these processes can tell us about the remaking of class, race, and racism today - and about the future of classical music.

Please join us for Kristina Kolbe’s presentation and the discussion of her book The Sound of Difference.

Kristina Kolbe is Assistant Professor in Sociology of Arts and Culture at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She was an ISRF Early Career Fellow 2023-24, for her project Sounding Cities: Reconfiguring Urban Politics Through Music Production.

Kristina will be joined by Anna Bull, Senior Lecturer in Education and Social Justice at the University of York; Billy Holzberg, Assistant Professor in Social Justice at King’s College London; and Anamik Saha, Professor of Race and Media at the University of Leeds. A Q&A will follow, moderated by Chris Newfield, ISRF Director of Research.