Classical:NEXT 2025: Interview with Toks Dada

Music journalist Jo Frost sits down with Head of Classical Music for the Southbank Centre, Toks Dada at Classical:NEXT 2025 to deep dive behind his conference session entitled "Evolving the orchestral model: Exploring alternative ways of working to reposition in a modern world." “The existing orchestral model is a barrier to our ability to develop the artform of classical music and reposition it in a modern world. Reevaluating the orchestral model today is a key part of classical music’s survival strategy” – Toks Dada. In the world of classical music, orchestras are front and centre of what we do. Orchestras play a crucial role in challenging our relation to the evolution of this artform. However, the existing orchestral model, which has largely remained unchanged, is a barrier to the evolution that is desperately needed. Toks discusses the necessary development of the operating model and partnership model surrounding orchestral music; explores alternative ways for orchestras to work, and how venue-based arts organisations and orchestras can work together, to re-position this historic artform in a modern world.