Alliances

Askonas Holt has always been a leader in our field, challenging the status quo, and evolving to meet the demands of the market. Our lineage traces back to 1876 to impressario Alfred Schultz-Curtius, who brought the first performances of Wagner’s Ring Cycle to London.

Over the next century, a series of strategic partnerships unfolded; Schultz-Curtius joined forces with Lionel Powell, who in turn teamed up with Harold Holt in 1924.

Askonas Holt was born from a merger between Harold Holt and Lies Askonas in 1998, bringing together an alliance of great managers working with leading conductors, instrumentalists and singers.

Since then, Askonas Holt has grown with the addition of a tours department - bringing great orchestras and dance companies to international audiences, and building into new territories and communities. Like those who came before us, we pride ourselves on the careful, long-term career management of our artists, alongside maintaining our reputation as a trusted, safe space at the heart of the classical music business.

We believe in serving the next generation of artists and audiences alike, embracing a future where genres collide and broader topics demand attention. We are incubating new ideas, particularly in the intersection of performers, students, philanthropists, listeners and audiences, and are constantly challenging ourselves to take risks as we diversify our offer.

Our ambition is to increase the impact of music in the world. And that’s why our latest alliance, forged in 2022 with Opus 3 Artists and recording label Pentatone under the umbrella of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is so exciting and so crucial to delivering this vision. With great confidence, we look forward to our future together.

Donagh Collins, CEO