big lips – Contemporary Classical Ensemble

Experimental contemporary classical concerts

Big Lips is a London and Cambridge-based music and performance ensemble that specialises in non-classical classical concerts, reimagining how music is performed and experienced through theatre, visuals and storytelling.

Founded by Sohan Kalirai and Joshua Herberg, the group began as a way to eschew the rituals of traditional classical programming, recognising the way a piece of music becomes contextualised by the rules under which it is performed. Big Lips seeks to embrace the relationship that music has within the contexts of performance and programming, putting forward an interpretation of a piece that is not hidden behind layers of etiquette. Our work aims to reframe the experience of listening and performing, expanding into a multi-disciplinary approach that includes film, dance, acting, and poetry

By its nature, the aesthetic of Big Lips revolves around a self-awareness—whether through displays of process or the distortion of traditional mainstream practices. Central to this reevaluation of conventional performance is a constant desire to create a process of art-making that is wholly and positively collaborative with the performers.

This collaborative spirit extends into the Cambridge New Music Network, an initiative led by Big Lips to foster closer links between the technical excellence of the London conservatoires and the academic innovation of the Cambridge music faculty. By bringing together a network of highly skilled players, composers, and multidisciplinary artists, we aim to build a community that is as intellectually engaged as it is technically rigorous.