Classical Music Is Filling Wichita Breweries — and Drawing New Audiences

Classical music isn’t just in concert halls anymore. In Wichita, Hutchinson, and Augusta, Classical Revolution ICT is filling brewery tables and bringing live classical music to new and expanding audiences in welcoming, social settings.

Since launching in 2022, Classical Revolution ICT has grown from a small coffee shop gathering into a regional series that now fills two breweries each month in Wichita and Hutchinson, and is expanding into new pop-up venues this year. Average attendance in the smaller Wichita venue now hovers around 45 per event, with the larger Hutchinson venue boasting an average of 100 attendees, and some performances in each venue reaching standing room only.

The model is simple — and revolutionary.

Instead of hushed silence and formal attire, guests are encouraged to grab a drink, sit with friends, and enjoy three short sets of live classical genre music, performed by soloists and chamber groups in a relaxed, social atmosphere.

“Classical music doesn’t belong only in velvet seats with silent audiences,” said Alex Johnson, founder of Classical Revolution ICT. “We’re creating a space where excellent music and community can exist together.”

The performances feature a wide range of musicians — from regional orchestra members and private studio professionals to college-level performers, band and orchestra directors, and artists with advanced degrees in performance. In 2025 alone, more than 70 musicians performed with Classical Revolution ICT, expanding solo and chamber music opportunities in an area where those outlets are limited.

For audiences, these events lead to fresh classical music experiences.

“I loved the harp — I’ve never heard one live before,” said one attendee.“I just love coming out to experience music I don’t normally listen to,” said another.

What began as a new idea has quietly built a devoted following. Regular attendees now consider our Bach & Brews events their standing weeknight tradition, finding the series through social media or word of mouth and returning month after month. 

The events have also become a welcome boost to typically slower weeknights for partner breweries, adding live arts programming to spaces already central to community gathering.

Classical Revolution ICT now presents:

• Bach & Brews — Monthly at Tor Brewing in Wichita

• Beethoven & Beer — A seasonal series at Sandhills Brewing in Hutchinson

• Additional pop-up performances at venues including White Crow Cider Company in Wichita and Redbud Brewing in Augusta

By bringing high-level classical performance into familiar, welcoming spaces, Classical Revolution ICT reflects a broader shift in how classical music is experienced, prioritizing accessibility, intimacy, and social connection over formality.

For those who have always been curious about classical music but unsure where to start, the invitation is simple: come as you are.

For more information about upcoming events in Hutchinson, Wichita, Augusta, and surrounding communities, visit classicalrevolutionict.com. Musicians interested in performing with Classical Revolution ICT can also sign up through the website.