bittersweet symphony : the experience of working lives and caring duties in classical music

This report discusses the barriers to sustainable careers faced by parents and carers, a sub-sector of every protected characteristic and socio-economic background, who struggle to meet the unique requirements of the classical music sector whilst supporting children, elderly or sick family members. Challenges faced by people with caring responsibilities include: The logistics and financial demands arising from touring and working away; unpredictable and inflexible scheduling adding to the complexities of childcare; lack of affordable, flexible, ad-hoc childcare.