11 Musical Comedians
The world of classical music comedy isn’t huge but it does exist. We present: 11 comedians with funny things to say about classical music, or with a background in music that’s helped them get to where they are now. If you enjoy our content, you can support us on Ko-fi, where anyone who feels like it can gift us the price of a coffee with no strings attached. Thank you.
Isabel Hagen
@isabelhagen_ on Twitter & Instagram
Isabel Hagen is a stand-up comedian and classically trained violist from New York. Every little girl’s dream. Isabel started stand-up straight after earning her Bachelors and Masters degrees in viola performance from the Juilliard School. As a violist, Isabel has played in the orchestra for several productions on Broadway, and has worked with numerous artists such as Björk, Max Richter and Steve Reich. Isabel hosts the Good Timing podcast about what it’s like to make the shift from viola to comedy and why she chose to, and talks to other artists about the creative process, performance anxiety and navigating the reality of following your dreams. Isabel combines viola and comedy in her YouTube series IS A VIOLIST.
Lloyd Griffith
@LloydGriffith on Twittter & @2lloydgriffith on Instagram
Lloyd Griffith is a “disarmingly good” comedian (The Times) and a professional choirboy, and sometimes he combines the two. He supported Jack Whitehall and Rob Beckett on their respective sold-out UK tours and you may have seen him on It’s A Sin, House of Games or Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club. As a countertenor, he can often be found singing with the choirs of Westminster Abbey and St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Lloyd says: “Being a chorister was the best time of my life. I owe all of my career to the fact that I was a choir boy.”
Kieran Hodgson
@KieranCHodgson on Twitter
Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Kieran Hodgson is an acclaimed actor, writer and comedian. You may be one of his 45k Twitter followers, where he shares hilarious impersonations of TV series, or from any one of Netflix’s Lovesick, BBC2’s Upstart Crow or Channel 4’s God’s Own County. Kieran has a brilliant stand-up show all about classical music, Maestro, which was nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award and rated 5* by The Telegraph. You can find it on Amazon Prime, where it’s free to watch (episode 8 of the Soho Theatre Live series, alongside Nina Conti, Desiree Burch and Jordan Brookes). Kieran is also an enthusiastic amateur violinist.
Brett Yang & Eddy Chen
@twosetviolin on Twitter & Instagram
Better known collectively as the duo TwoSet Violin, Brett Yang and Eddy Chen are Australian violinists who chose to give up their spots in the Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras and began hosting live classical comedy performances instead, including a sold-out debut at the Sydney Opera House. They creatively integrate humour with an actual recital. In 2017 they produced the first ever crowdfunded classical world tour, and now have over 7,500,500 followers across social media and over one billion views. TwoSet inspires musicians worldwide with humour and a relatable imperfection.
Rachel Parris
@rachelparris on Twitter & @rachelsvparris on Instagram
Rachel Parris is a BAFTA-nominated comedian, musician, actor and improviser, best known for her viral segments on BBC2's The Mash Report. She’s appeared on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Would I Lie To You?, and QI. During her teens, Rachel thought she would have a career as a classical musician – she has a Music degree from Oxford, she’s an accomplished singer, and an excellent pianist; in fact, she was a piano teacher until a few years ago. Rachel appeared on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions in 2019, talking about how she moved from music to comedy via drama school, how music still has a central place in her life, and how being part of a choir helped with performing to an audience as a comedian.
Sue Perkins
@sueperkins on Twitter
Sue Perkins is well-loved on British screens, doing everything from presenting and acting to directing, writing, and being very funny. Sue learned the piano as a child and opted to do Music at A-Level, saying: “I loved it: it's the only study I've done that I found utterly and compellingly immersive”. Never one to turn down a challenge, in 2008 Sue took part in Maestro, a BBC programme in which famous amateurs with a passion for classical music competed for the chance to conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra at the 2008 Proms in the Park. Sue won the competition and has since conducted several charity concerts including the world’s biggest kazoo ensemble at the Royal Albert Hall. “As a performer, I'm used to seeing my audience. Now, my backside is facing the people I'd normally be facing.”
Vikki Stone
@vikkistone on Twitter & Instagram
Vikki Stone is a British composer, comedian, actress and musician, who’s appeared on The John Bishop Show, The Now Show and This Morning. As a teenager, she won a flute scholarship to Wells Cathedral School and went on to become flautist for the National Children’s Orchestra. She is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and in 2016/17 presented the BBC Radio 3 Proms Unplucked podcasts. Vikki has written two classical works: a massed choral piece that premiered at the Royal Albert Hall, and the Concerto for Comedian and Orchestra, which premiered at Glastonbury Festival.
Bill Bailey
@BillBailey on Twitter & @billbaileyofficial on Instagram
Bill Bailey is an actor, comedian, musician and singer, known mainly for his role as Manny in the sitcom Black Books. He’s an accomplished pianist, having started to play at the age of 4, and was the only pupil at his school to study A-level music (achieving an A grade). Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide To The Orchestra came to life at the Royal Albert Hall; he joined forces with the BBC Concert Orchestra and used contemporary and classical references to explain how the orchestra works. Some clips from the show are now available on YouTube…
Rainer Hersch
@rainerhersch on Twitter & Instagram
Rainer Hersch is a British conductor, actor, writer and comedian. His YouTube channel, filled with classical music comedy videos, has received over 60 million views. He has appeared 13 times at the Edinburgh Festival and has performed at numerous comedy clubs across Europe, either presenting one-man shows or as guest conductor in comedy concerts with orchestra.
Alexander Armstrong
@XanderArmstrong on Twitter
Alexander Armstrong is an actor, comedian, radio personality, television presenter and singer. He hosts Pointless on BBC one, is one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, and a presenter on Classic FM. Alexander has a strong background in choral and cathedral music, singing first as a chorister at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, and then as a bass choral scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge. He still performs and records as a bass-baritone, and as of April 2021, became an ambassador for the Cathedral Music Trust, saying “I owe my entire career to my experience as a chorister”.
Hannah Fiddy is a creative entrepreneur, developing new audiences for classical music. She has created and promoted numerous concerts outside of traditional spaces, including warehouses, pubs, clubs, museums, hospitals, prisons and even in Primark. Hannah is also an interviewer, writer and guest lecturer, and runs the Avon Chamber Choir in Bristol. In a past life she founded London Flashmob, producing quirky events from wedding proposals to cultural pranks for up to 1,000 people.
Follow Hannah on Twitter @Hannah_Fiddy.