Philharmonia debates… Composing across Cultures

Our series of debates around music and identity continues with an in-depth look at how composers of ‘Western classical’ music engage with other classical and folk music traditions.   

Come and have your say on where we draw the line between appreciation and appropriation; who is ‘allowed’ to compose, perform, and earn a living from certain kinds of music; and whether Western classical music with folk roots (such as the pieces by Dvořák and de Falla in the Philharmonia’s 7.30pm concert) brings both genres to a broader audience, or dilutes the original significance of the traditions that inspired it.