We at Death of Classical understand that what we do might seem a bit weird at first glance... presenting classical music and opera concerts in Crypts, Catacombs, Cemeteries, and other unusual venues, pairing them with food, drink, and spirits tastings. But we promise that our mission is pure: to breathe new life into the art form that we love, and to re-envision everything from programming to production to promotion, in order to create deeply-personal performances that change how people perceive and experience classical music.
In the few short years since Death of Classical was founded by Artistic Director Andrew Ousley, the response and acclaim has been unanimous, with the New York Times proclaiming that "Classical is alive and well and living in a Crypt, with a series of intimate, charmingly creepy concerts that offer tightly focused programs from top-flight musicians." Our concerts – most of which sell out in moments – have been hailed as "transcendent" (Billboard), "emotionally-charged" (Forbes), "numinous and genre-bending" (New Yorker), with New York Magazine praising them as “sensitively programmed events in which music and architecture almost meld," and the culture editor of Vogue simply describing a DoC show as "one of the most riveting and unusual chamber music performances of my lifetime."
Death of Classical has presented some of today's most acclaimed artists, including the New York Philharmonic, Lawrence Brownlee, Laurie Anderson, Caroline Shaw, Jennifer Koh, Rufus Wainwright, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Simone Dinnerstein, Gil Shaham, Alexandre Tharaud, Lara St. John, Conrad Tao, and many more. We've partnered with institutions ranging from Carnegie Hall to the United Nations, and our accolades include making the New York Times "Best Classical Music Concerts of the Year" list, receiving a Classical:Next Innovation Award, The American Prize for the Arts, and WQXR's 'Excellence in Opera' award for the world premiere of David Hertzberg's The Rose Elf in the Catacombs.
General & Artistic Director
Andrew Ousley
Andrew Ousley is the creator, curator, and fearless leader of Death of Classical. Fueled by a deep passion to share beauty with the world while creating a better experience around Classical Music and Opera, he has built DoC from the idea of a concert in a Crypt, into a performing arts powerhouse.
He is also the President and Founder of Unison Media, an award-winning, industry-leading PR/Marketing agency for the performing arts. In his non-existent spare time, Andrew runs Burger Club, and his photographs have been published in The New York Times, Associated Press, Newsweek, New York Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer and more.
