Dr Samantha Ege, from the School of Humanities Department of Music, is playing a leading role in a major new initiative dedicated to rediscovering and recording overlooked works from music history. 

Unheard Heritage, launched in partnership with Resonus Classics, brings together performers, researchers and writers to uncover neglected repertoire and introduce it to new audiences through high-quality recordings and compelling storytelling. 

Dr Ege serves as Performance Lead for the initiative, working alongside founder and writer Dr Leah Broad, conductor and Artistic Director John Andrews, and Resonus Classics Managing Director Adam Binks. Together, the team combines world-leading academic research with professional performance to revive forgotten works and celebrate the stories of the composers behind them. 

A particular focus of Unheard Heritage is the work of women composers whose music has often been overlooked despite making significant contributions to classical music. The initiative not only records and promotes these works but also supports the creation of performance editions where music has never been formally published, helping to make it accessible to musicians and audiences for years to come. 

Reflecting on the project, Dr Ege said: “The work we do at Unheard Heritage brings us into direct conversation with every historical composer at the heart of our projects. We have to get into their minds and music in a way that is quite different to learning the more familiar repertoire. We are at the helm of sounding a new tradition. 

“As the performance lead, I find the process of inhabiting the music as if it’s been with me my whole life, absolutely enthralling. It’s a rich collaboration between us all, and that includes the composer who never had the opportunity to be heard to the fullest in their own lifetime.” 

Since its inception, Unheard Heritage has released three critically acclaimed recordings, including the first album dedicated to the orchestral music of Avril Coleridge-Taylor, the world premiere recording of Ethel Smyth’s opera Der Wald, and a recording of orchestral works by Grace Williams, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Gramophone Awards. 

Further recordings are already in development, including Dr Ege’s newest project Dialogues on a British Theme, which is an exploration of heritage and belonging. It features world premieres of Camila Cortina Bello’s Concerto “Coleridge” for Piano and Orchestra and Ethel Bilsland’s Piano Concerto alongside works by Dame Judith Weir, Shirley J. Thompson OBE, and William Alwyn. Supported by AHRC IAA funding, this Unheard Heritage collaboration involves the BBC Concert Orchestra and will bring greater public awareness to the distinctive musical languages of underrepresented composers, the histories from which they arise, and the communities to which these practitioners belong. 

By combining research, performance and storytelling, Unheard Heritage is helping to broaden understanding of musical history while ensuring exceptional but overlooked works can inspire a new generation of listeners, performers and scholars. Dr Ege, who was recently made a Voting Member of the Recording Academy (Grammys), is excited to extend her impact in the classical music industry through her partnership with Unheard Heritage.

Share this article on social media: