Classical:NEXT

What Classical:NEXT does

Classical:NEXT GmbH is a Berlin-headquartered private German limited liability company founded in 2012 by Piranha Arts and CLASS – Association of Classical Independents in Germany e.V. The company operates the largest international annual gathering for classical and art music professionals, structured as a four-day event comprising conference sessions, showcases, an expo, project pitches, fellowships, an opening night, and an Innovation Award ceremony. The 2025 edition attracted more than 1,500 professionals from 54 countries and 50+ exhibitors.

The product ecosystem centers on the annual conference and extends year-round through C:N Connect, an account-based online professional networking platform and directory bundled with delegate registration; a mobile application for iOS and Android that integrates with C:N Connect; the Classical:NEXT Podcast (launched February 2026); NEXT:LAB, a Berlin-based satellite professional development programme launching July 2026 with Berlin Senate support; and the annual Innovation Award. Together these products form a multi-touchpoint community platform rather than a pure event business.

Classical:NEXT generates revenue through delegate registration fees across multiple tiers (full, young professional, student, media, and group discount), exhibitor packages and stand bookings (subject to 19% German VAT), advertising and promotional opportunities, and professional development programming. The go-to-market is event-driven, with marketing distributed across the company's website, podcast, email newsletters, social media channels, and institutional partnerships including the European Festivals Association and the League of American Orchestras. Operations are run by a small team led by Managing Director Fabienne Krause, with no disclosed external funding.

Name

Classical:NEXT

Legal name

Classical:NEXT GmbH

Website

https://classicalnext.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Classical:NEXT operates the largest annual international conference for classical and art music professionals, serving 1,500+ delegates from 54 countries through a four-day event complemented by the C:N Connect networking platform, podcast, mobile app, and NEXT:LAB satellite programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Industry Conference and Networking Services

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Classical music conference
• Music industry networking
• Classical music expo
• Music professional events
• Arts industry conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Delegate Registration Fees: Revenue from professional delegates attending the annual conference. Various rate tiers including full price, young professional, student, and media rates. Includes one-year access to C:N Connect online platform.
2. Exhibitor Packages and Stand Bookings: Revenue from companies booking exhibition space at the Expo. Exhibitor packages include stand bookings and promotional services through Classical:NEXT's online channels. Subject to VAT regulations.
3. Advertising and Promotional Opportunities: Revenue from advertising options and promotional opportunities available to exhibitors and partners.
4. NEXT:LAB Satellite Events: Revenue from professional development programmes like NEXT:LAB satellite events targeting Berlin-based artists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Classical:NEXT stages an annual four-day international conference for classical and art music professionals that combines a multi-track conference programme, artist showcases, an expo with 50+ exhibitors, project pitches, fellowships, an opening night, and an Innovation Award ceremony. The event is supported year-round by the C:N Connect online professional networking platform and directory and a dedicated mobile application, with additional satellite programming such as NEXT:LAB in Berlin.

Product overview

Classical:NEXT is a conference and professional community for the classical and art music industry, operating as a unified platform with multiple integrated products. The core offering is the annual four-day Classical:NEXT conference featuring conference sessions, showcases, expo, and the Innovation Award. Supporting the event is C:N Connect, an online professional networking platform and directory enabling delegate communication and community access. The Classical:NEXT Podcast extends engagement year-round through audio content. NEXT:LAB provides satellite professional development programming in Berlin. The Classical:NEXT App delivers programme and networking access on mobile devices. Together these products create a comprehensive ecosystem serving the global classical and art music professional community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Classical:NEXT Podcast: A podcast exploring ideas, people, and projects shaping the future of classical and art music worldwide, hosted by David Taylor.
• NEXT:LAB
• C:N Connect

Products and services

• Classical:NEXT Annual Conference A four-day international event for professionals across all sectors of classical and art music featuring conference sessions, showcases, an expo with 50+ exhibitors, project pitches, fellowships, opening night, and the Innovation Award ceremony. Editions rotate across European host cities (Budapest 2026, Katowice 2027).
• C:N Connect Account-based online service platform and professional directory that enables communication between registered Classical:NEXT delegates and provides access to the Classical:NEXT community database. Full registration includes one year of access.
• The Classical:NEXT Podcast Audio podcast series exploring ideas, people, and projects shaping the future of classical and art music worldwide, hosted by David Taylor with episodes featuring industry innovators.
• NEXT:LAB A Berlin-based satellite event offering a multi-month professional development, mentoring and networking programme for Berlin-based artists in classical, contemporary and cross-genre music, culminating in participation at Classical:NEXT 2027 Katowice.
• Innovation Award Annual award programme honouring forward-thinking projects that are shaping the future of classical music worldwide, with three recipients honoured each year at the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award Ceremony.
• Classical:NEXT App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing access to the full Classical:NEXT event programme and contact directory, integrating with C:N Connect for authentication and additional features.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 edition attracted more than 1,500 music professionals from 54 countries, making it the largest in the event's history
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Piranha ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiated Classical:NEXT in 2012 alongside CLASS. Piranha Arts is the creative force behind the event and continues as a key founding partner.
• CLASS – Association of Classical Independents in Germany e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiated Classical:NEXT in 2012 alongside Piranha Arts. CLASS represents independent classical music professionals in Germany.
• HangvetőcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBudapest-based cultural enterprise specialising in folk, global, and classical music. Organizing partner for Classical:NEXT 2026 in Budapest. Has hosted WOMEX twice and events like Budapest Ritmo.
• European Festivals Association (EFA)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership with EFA. EFA members benefit from reduced registration fees for Classical:NEXT. EFA annually hosts a Structured Networking session within the Conference specifically for Festivals.
• League of American OrchestrascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassical:NEXT team attends the annual LAO Conference to reconnect with orchestra professionals and build relationships with US market.
• Katowice City of GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost city partner for Classical:NEXT 2027. Team visited to kick off production process for the fourteenth edition.
• Katowice Ministry of CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment cultural partner for Classical:NEXT 2027 in Katowice.
• National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey venue and partner for Classical:NEXT 2027 in Katowice.
• SONORA Music ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic management partner for Classical:NEXT 2027 in Katowice.
• The Budapest Music CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvening venue for Classical:NEXT 2026. Created by trombonist László Gőz as home for contemporary Hungarian music.
• Liszt AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpening Night venue for Classical:NEXT 2026. World-renowned music institution founded by Franz Liszt.
• MillenáriscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaytime venue for Classical:NEXT 2026 including Conference, Expo, and Showcases.
• House of Music HungarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClosing Event venue for Classical:NEXT 2026. Architectural masterpiece designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• jazzahead!: jazzahead! is the leading European jazz industry conference and showcase event in Bremen, Germany, with a near-identical format to Classical:NEXT: annual multi-day gathering, trade expo, professional showcases, conference sessions, and a partner network — operating in the adjacent niche of jazz rather than classical music.
• WOMEX: WOMEX is the largest international professional gathering for world music — directly analogous to Classical:NEXT in serving as an annual conference plus expo for a specific music industry vertical, with similar delegate registration, exhibition booths, showcase performances, and professional networking focus.
• Eurosonic Noorderslag: Eurosonic Noorderslag is an annual European music industry conference and showcase festival combining conference programming, live showcases, and an expo for music professionals — structurally identical to Classical:NEXT's conference-plus-showcases-plus-expo model, though focused on European pop/rock rather than classical.
• The Great Escape: The Great Escape is an annual UK-based music industry conference and showcase festival for emerging artists and industry professionals — similar multi-day format combining conference sessions, delegate registration, expo, and live showcases serving a music industry vertical.
• Reeperbahn Festival: Reeperbahn Festival is a major Hamburg-based music industry conference and showcase event combining a music trade conference with live performances. Same conference-plus-showcase model as Classical:NEXT, focused on the pop/rock industry rather than classical music.

Others

• Tessitura Network: Tessitura Network is a member-based technology consortium serving performing arts organizations (orchestras, operas, theaters). Comparable as a community/membership platform for the same classical music customer base that Classical:NEXT serves, though focused on CRM/software rather than events.
• European Festivals Association (EFA): EFA is a long-standing Classical:NEXT partner and the umbrella organization for European arts festivals, hosting its own Arts Festival Summit and structured networking sessions. Comparable as a classical/arts festival ecosystem stakeholder serving overlapping delegate audiences.
• International Music Managers Forum (IMMF): IMMF is a global trade body representing music managers and hosting professional forums and networking events for the music industry. Comparable as a professional community organizer for music industry stakeholders, though structured as an association rather than a conference-first business.

Broad incumbents

• SXSW (South by Southwest): SXSW is the largest multi-vertical professional conference combining music, film, and technology with massive scale (tens of thousands of attendees), shared showcase/expo/conference model, and tiered registration. Comparable as a conference business model reference, but vastly larger and broader in scope than Classical:NEXT's classical-music niche.
• MIDEM: MIDEM was the long-running international music industry trade show in Cannes (paused/defunct). Comparable as a major global music industry conference business with exhibition, conference sessions, and delegate registration in a similar industry vertical.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/classicalnext
• YouTubeyoutube.com/classicalnext
• Facebookfacebook.com/classicalnext
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/classicalnext
• Instagraminstagram.com/classicalnext

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Classical:NEXT