In October/November 2024, Choir Of The Earth Events was delighted to present a six-part online lecture series exploring the fascinating musical styles and varied genres of Classical Music, written and delivered via YouTube by award-winning educator Ben England BEM.

Have you ever wondered why opera singers warble?  How did the orchestra get so big? Why did instruments suddenly get much louder and more intricate in the 19th century?  Why did so many people buy upright pianos? Wonder no more - Around Sound: The Evolution of Classical Music will explains all, and much, much more.

This hugely popular lecture series is filled with fascinating insights, humourous musical anecdotes and, of course, stunningly beautiful music. No singing or musical experience is required, though if you have sung or performed before there is plenty of material for everyone to appreciate.  It is a fun and accessible course, aimed at anyone who is interested in the evolution of music, delivered in Ben’s friendly and inclusive style.

Each lecture explores a different era of music, using a wide range of pieces, mostly recorded by Choir of the Earth, to illustrate and explain the features and characteristics of each style.

Each session lasts around 80-90 minutes and is supported by an amazing set of resources including (public domain) scores and a custom YouTube playlist so you can really get to know each era's examples in more depth, at your leisure and as many times as you like.

The live lectures took place in October/November 2024 and the full recorded course will be available soon for those who missed out on this fantastic course.