Robert Ames, co-founder of the London Contemporary Orchestra, writes about how financial inequality is undermining opportunities for working-class musicians in classical music.
Access Was Once Possible
For decades, working-class children in the UK could access music education through state schools and council-backed music services.
Ames recalls borrowing a viola as a child because his family couldn’t afford one. He attended youth orchestras and spent summers working as a binman or on a farm to afford music lessons.
These were not easy paths, but they existed. The route was never fair — it required immense personal sacrifice — yet it offered a real chance to enter the sector.
Today’s Barriers Are Unbearable
Now, the path is being dismantled. Costs have grown: lessons, instruments, train fares, housing, and unpaid preparation.
Ames notes that more than 70% of musicians in the UK are self-employed or freelance. Under current agreements, a section musician earns a minimum of £163.18 for six hours of rehearsal and performance.
That fee covers only the time on the call sheet. Behind it lie years of training, expensive instruments, and unpaid work. The financial reality is stark.
Class Is Built Into the System
Two musicians may work equally hard, but one has family support and housing. The other may sofa-surf or sleep rough.
Ames recalls early meetings where he arrived starving, pretending not to be hungry while others ate. This was not a rare experience — it was a daily reality.
He argues that this is not about talent or commitment. It is about economic capital. The ability to work without pay is a form of privilege.
Why Diversity Talk Falls Short
Classical music often speaks of diversity but avoids addressing who can afford to stay in the field.
Ames criticizes outreach programs that cannot offset London rents or housing costs. You can’t diversify a workforce while ignoring who can afford to live and work in the sector.
He observes that many talented musicians give up early — not due to lack of ability, but because they can’t afford to keep going.
What This Means for the Industry
When elite training programs serve only those from similar economic backgrounds, the sector becomes narrower — both in composition and in thinking.
Ames warns that the industry may not see its own elitism. It hires from a small group, then reacts to criticism as if it were a flaw.
He does not argue for lowering standards. He calls for higher standards — but only if they are found among diverse, economically supported talent.
What to Watch
Ames asks: if a working-class musician from a similar background to his own could only just survive, what are today’s young musicians going through?
Are they seeing classical music as a viable path — or deciding it’s not worth trying?
His experience highlights a deeper issue: music education is powerful, yet its provision is frail.
Robert Ames is a conductor and composer. His reflections are drawn from 18 years of experience with the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Read the full piece on The Guardian
Sources & further reading
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