Collins Records with London Symphony: Bassingthwaighte Album

For those who don't know me, my name is Bobby Collins and one of my deepest passions is performing works by living female composers. One of my favorite composers to work with is Sarah Bassingthwaighte, with whom I have collaborated on and off the stage for nearly ten years. Now we are teaming up to make an album with the London Symphony Orchestra!

This November, Sarah and I will travel to London to record with the LSO. You can imagine how thrilled I am to have the chance to conduct this world-class orchestra! The album will be released in Spring 2025 by the Aria Classics label.

Aside from this being an incredibly fulfilling experience, I am grateful for the opportunity because we are telling the stories of our time with modern voices while enriching the musical dialogue through diversity. Classical music has not always been about pieces of the past. The music of living composers speaks to the human condition in terms that are deeply relatable to us, not using the language of the 18th and 19th century, but expressing what we experience in THIS moment. The classical music industry has suppressed the voices of women throughout history. This album is a critical step on the path toward achieving equality and diversifying the voices that are part of the musical conversation.

Transforming the musical landscape has always been a grassroots effort, making our desires for equality heard by promoting small organizations that are doing this until the large orchestras see what's being done and decide to take a chance. Our album is a chance for you to partner in the work. Your gift supports equity for women in music and provides a living wage for me as I invest the many hours necessary into studying and preparing for the recording session.

The total budget for the recording is $40,000, and my contribution to these expenses is $10,000. Through grants and other sources, I've already raised $2,000, but these funding opportunities are limited. I'm asking you to help me cover my share of the project costs as well as to be able to support myself and family and cover my travel expenses.

$8,000 of the funds raised here will go toward paying the LSO for the recording session. $6,000 will help cover my wages for the project and $2,000 will cover my travel expenses.