Meet Paradox Orchestra - the young classical musicians playing Ed Sheeran and Pink Floyd hits on traditional instruments in Yorkshire
Often seen as the “preserve of the privileged”, the classical music sector has also been rocked by funding cuts.
The Leeds-based Paradox Orchestra performs a concert at Leeds Minster aimed at highlighting diminishing musical opportunities for young people thanks to cuts in classical music education and the arts. The 40-strong orchestra was created by 32-year-old Michael Sluman in 2020 to create a commercially viable and inclusive platform for classically-trained musicians in Leeds. It’s an approach that safeguards classical musicians’ livelihoods in a precarious sector, while attracting younger and new audiences.
A rarity in the sector, Mr Sluman grew up in a Yorkshire mining town in a working-class family. His father was a porter and mother a health-care assistant. Michael spent his twenties playing guest principal oboe in professional orchestras all over the world. A graduate of Leeds Conservatoire and BBC Next Generation Artist, he is currently studying for a PhD at the Royal Academy of Music.
He said: “I was of that last generation in the ‘80s when state schools offered free music lessons through their local council.”
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