Crossover

Crossover in a sense has always been with us, for example opera stars singing songs from Broadway musicals but as a specific genre in classical music it has been around for well over a decade now. It refers to artists and recordings which bridge the divide between 'serious' and 'popular' styles of music. The most predominant form of music in the genre is vocal, with emphasis on repertoire which is a combination of popular classical tunes and arrangements of pop tunes done in a 'classical' manner. The classical pieces will also feature in arrangements as well. As the crossover genre has expanded so has the growth in numbers if composers writing specifically for it. The music has its roots both in rock/pop and minimalism (which was influenced by 60s rock music anyway); its orchestration often incorporates block string writing and the use of shiny keyboard and wind surfaces.

Key Composers: Patrick Hawes, Karl Jenkins, Joby Talbot

Key Artists: Il Divo, Libera, Andrea Bocelli, Alfie Boe, Katherine Jenkins, Vanessa Mae, Hayley Westenra