Manchester Collective

Known for their experimental programming and daring collaborations, the work of Manchester Collective has expanded at breakneck speed since their formation in 2016. They now play in concert halls, warehouses and factory spaces in 18 cities across Europe and the UK, performing a combination of cutting edge contemporary music, classical masterpieces, and staged theatrical work to a hungry, new audience.

New music is of vital importance to the Collective – in recent years, they have commissioned major works by artists including Edmund Finnis, Hannah Peel, Freya Waley-Cohen, and Laurence Osborn. Recent touring highlights include Paradise Lost, an explosive collaboration between electronic artist Vessel (Seb Gainsborough) and violinist Rakhi Singh; an inspiring tour of Sirocco with South African cellist Abel Selaocoe & Chesaba; and a staged production of Arnold Schoenberg’s avant-garde masterpiece Pierrot Lunaire.

Manchester Collective record exclusively for the Icelandic label Bedroom Community, with their debut EP ‘Recreation’ released in September 2020. Through the COVID-19 lockdown, they produced a season of ten Isolation Broadcasts, watched by tens of thousands of fans all over the world. The education work of the Collective has also expanded in this period, working remotely with conservatoire students to deliver holistic, skills-based training for a changing musical world.