Apple Music Classical and Wigmore Hall have announced a new partnership that puts artists at the center of a revamped digital recording platform. As part of Wigmore Hall’s 125th anniversary celebrations, Wigmore Hall Live is relaunching as a digital-only service with a model that sends all recording royalties directly to performers.
Under the new arrangement, Wigmore Hall will cover the full production costs for every release and will not take any share of the recording income. Instead, artists will receive 100% of the royalties generated from their recordings. The move aims to provide greater financial support for musicians while expanding access to live performances from one of the world’s most respected classical music venues.
Exclusive Releases on Apple Music Classical
Wigmore Hall Live plans to release four digital-only recordings each year, all drawn from live performances at the London concert hall and developed in close collaboration with artists. Each release will debut exclusively on Apple Music Classical for three months before becoming available elsewhere.
John Gilhooly, Director of Wigmore Hall, said the partnership will help listeners experience performances as closely as possible to attending a concert in person. He also highlighted Apple Music Classical’s advanced audio quality as an important part of that experience.
The first recording under the new partnership features pianist Boris Giltburg performing Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Nos. 4, 8, 9, 20 and 26, recorded live at Wigmore Hall in February 2025. The release also includes a special commentary track in which Giltburg shares insights into the music and his interpretation of the works.
Apple Music Classical continues to expand its collaborations with major classical music institutions around the world, and this latest partnership adds another prestigious venue to its growing roster while creating a more artist-friendly model for future recordings.
