Classical Unlocked is glad to be returning to Cooper’s BBQ in Austin for another Thursday night slot of classical and contemporary crossover music during SXSW 2025. Featuring opera, beats and immersive audio, the showcase is sure to appeal to a wide audience of festival goers. This year with the support of KMFA Classical 89.5 radio, Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery Austin, MDSG and Nord.

The Lineup:

8:00 p.m: Rachel Fenlon

Rachel Fenlon is a soprano and pianist who has carved a courageous career and place on the international scene. Rachel performs song recitals as both singer and pianist accompanying herself. Her debut album, Winterreise, was released in October 2024 to huge critical acclaim. Fenlon's Winterreise was selected as Album of the Week (CBC Canada, BBC Radio 3) and Album of the Month (Classic 106 FM). It was praised as “An outstanding new record…This is Winterreise as it has never been recorded before. It is extraordinary.” (CBC Radio); “Extraordinary…Rachel Fenlon’s Winterreise is spellbinding”, as well as numerous 5 star reviews (La Scena Musicale, Opera Wire). Fenlon’s Winterreise is the first ever self-accompanied recording to exist on record.

This season, Rachel tours Winterreise and solo recitals across Europe, Canada, the UK, and Brazil. Past performances include self-accompanied recitals at international festivals Fundación Juan March Madrid, Oxford Lieder Festival, Festival de Lanaudière, Martha Argerich Festival, Ottawa Chamberfest, Oper Leipzig, Povoa de Varzim Portugal, Konzerthaus Berlin, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Bechstein Hall London, Salle Bourgie Montreal.

9:00 p.m: Vraell

Vraell (real name Alessio Scozzaro) makes music in the quietness of spring and summertime dusk. For that one hour of cerulean sky, the London-based musician’s ideas come to life, illuminated by the poignancy of evening as it turns to night.

Vraell discovered his passion for experimenting on the instrument through a period of busking with his nylon stringed guitar. That led him to begin writing his own works that infuse the sensibility of ‘10s indie folk, like Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever Ago”, into his picking style, while simultaneously drawing on the rich sound of composers like Olafur Arnolds, Max Richter and Portico Quartet and Szun Waves’ Jack Wyllie.

Scozzaro sees the guitar as an instrument that can hold the universe within it. In his music, he seeks to show this - its guts and glory, its gentleness and darkness, the way it takes the color blue and unravels all its insides. “Guitar has endless possibilities,” Scozzaro says. “I love figuring it out.”

10:00 p.m: Tokio Myers

As Classic BRITS ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ in 2018, Tokio Myers is one of the most dynamic talents to emerge from the UK. The multi-instrumentalist fuses classical piano, electronica and percussive influences to shatter boundaries across musical genres.

Tokio captivated the nation through his appearances on Britain's Got Talent, showcasing his skills as a composer, producer and performance artist. After being crowned winner he was invited to perform on the Royal Variety Show broadcast to over 200 million people and signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell at Syco Entertainment. Tokio released his highly acclaimed debut album 'Our Generation’, reaching #4 in the official album charts, the first pianist to achieve this since the legendary Robert Miles. Tokio delivered sold out tours around the UK & Ireland, venues included Printworks, The Shepherds Bush Empire and the O2 Forum. Tokio released his debut classical album in 2023, playing a sold out UK classical tour finishing at the famous Union Chapel. His widely anticipated second production album titled 'Our Generation II' is due for release in 2025. This includes an array of cinematic, classical and electronic tracks.

11:00 p.m: Josefine Opsahl

Josefine Opsahl is an award-winning composer and cellist - a celebrated performer, producer, virtuoso, and visionary artist who renews and pushes the rich legacy of music traditions forward.

She has been hailed to be a ‘boundary defying and remarkable composer and artist’ (The Strad) whose refined compositions, live performances and strong concepts tie new, groundbreaking bonds between aesthetics, genres, environments and people. Her artistry presents a fresh, contemporary synthesis between traditions of classical music and the sounds and reality of today that transcends old barriers and let the music freely express and project.

Elaborating on her background in classical music, Josefine Opsahl’s solo performances unfold her refined and unique sounds combining her acoustic cello and electronics resulting in powerful and mesmerizing symphonic sonic worlds.

Being both an excellent musician and performer, Josefine Opsahl creates music and live performances with a direct and deep impact that has touched, opened and conquered new ears, eyes and hearts of audiences all over the world.She has written operas, works for orchestra and ballet and has received numerous awards for her music.

12:00 a.m: Marta Cascales Alimbau

Marta Cascales Alimbau is a pianist and composer from the Mediterranean city of Barcelona, recently relocated to New York City. Her music uniquely blends classical elements with a contemporary, minimalist, and poetic approach. Recently debuting with Deutsche Grammophon, she released Cortège, a rework of Lili Boulanger, and her original piece Moonlit, accompanied by a stunning music video. Her music, featured on Nils Frahm’s Official Piano Day Album (2023) and with over 5 million Spotify streams, resonates deeply with audiences. Selected for Creative Europe’s Slash Program and showcased at Eurosonic, she has performed at major venues like Piano City Milano and Rockwood Music Hall New York. Her live performances are often described as a balm for the ears, taking audiences on a transformative journey.

Marta’s creative vision extends to interdisciplinary projects, like her unique Listening Room for Artsy. Exciting future projects include her upcoming album, where she explores singing for the first time, and an immersive installation in collaboration with acclaimed cinematographer Greig Fraser (Dune, 2021) for New York Design Week 2025.

1:00 a.m: Echo Collective

Echo Collective is redefining contemporary classical music by blending traditional instrumentation with innovative sound technologies. The Brussels-based ensemble, founded by Neil Leiter and Margaret Hermant, crafts cinematic, boundary-pushing compositions.

Their latest release, Mirror Image, explores sonic frontiers through 4DSound and Wave Field Synthesis, recorded in historic and intimate locations. As official ambassadors for 4DSound, Echo Collective presents Mirror Image in immersive 4DSound, adapting it to any venue, from small, intimate in-the-round settings to grand concert halls.

Through collaborations with artists like A Winged Victory for the Sullen and Jóhann Jóhannsson, as well as their own creative output, Echo Collective continues to challenge conventions, crafting transformative experiences for audiences and delivering profound emotional depth through their unique post-classical style.

Cost: Free with SXSW Credentials | $10.00 Cover for other Guests