Headline Home pre-empts Burton-Hill's guide to classical music

Headline Home has pre-empted a daily guide to classical music by arts broadcaster and journalist Clemency Burton-Hill.

Lindsey Evans, publishing director of new lifestyle imprint Headline Home, bought world rights to Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day by Burton-Hill in a pre-emptive deal with Rosemary Scoular of United Agents for world rights. The book will publish in hardback on 5th October at £18.99.

Burton-Hill presents BBC Radio 3 Breakfast and the Proms and Young Musician of the Year, and is an award-winning violinist. In her new "eclectic" guide, she will delve into a thousand years of music to suggest a piece to listen to every day of the year, throwing a spotlight on the composers, from medievalists to millennials, and the "inspiring" stories behind each work.

According to its author, readers will be introduced to lovers and rivals, teachers and students, parents and children, muses and murderers as part of getting to know a diverse range of composers as human beings - "and how, from just a handful of notes, such life-affirming sonic wonders are weaved".

The book will be suitable for both those who are new to classical music and lifetime enthusiasts of the genre, tapping also into the trend for self-care, according to Headline Home. 

Evans said: "Clemency’s book is a beautiful celebration of classical music. She writes of composers throughout the world and across the ages, and puts the music into a context that everyone can relate to. Listening to the pieces she chose to include in her proposal, while reading about them at the same time, brought the world of classical music to life for me and I knew immediately that I had to publish this exciting book. It will be a gorgeous, gifty hardback to be published in October this year."

Burton-Hill called it "a real passion project" with hopes the book would help "empower readers to explore classical music on their own terms". Despite classical music's reputation - for which it can seem "daunting and exclusive" as a concept - she branded it "a vibrant and evolving art form". 

"I’m delighted to be working with Headline on what is a real passion project of mine," said Burton-Hill. "Despite its reputation, classical music is a vibrant and evolving art form and I hope to bring it to life for anyone curious to know more."

She added: "Classical music as a concept can seem daunting and exclusive, yet the music itself is one of the most direct and affecting forms of communication that we have. Digital technology has opened up listening possibilities as never before, but it can be hard to know how and where to jump in. I hope this book and its accompanying playlists will empower readers to explore classical music on their own terms: to let these wonderful pieces into their life and know that whoever they are, wherever they come from, it is their music too."