Music Courses & Classes in London and Online
We offer a wide range of piano, singing and instrumental workshops from complete beginners to advanced standard, daytime, evening or weekend. We also offer music production, music theory, history, singing and choirs, orchestra and jazz ensembles.
Choosing your course
Based in the heart of Covent Garden, we have a Yamaha CFIIIS and Steinway D concert grand pianos, Yamaha acoustic pianos and two suites of digital pianos. Music students have access to practice rooms for the duration of their course and we use the latest versions of Sibelius, Logic and Max/MSP for our music technology courses.
Some of our courses are delivered online. For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
Expert tutors
Our classes are taught by professional performers and practitioners, many of whom also teach at leading London universities and music conservatoires. We also offer advanced piano masterclasses with visiting performers and professors each year. Please refer to individual course outlines for individual staff biographies.
Studying at City Lit
City Lit students have a proud history of learning an instrument or singing from scratch as well as studying more advanced courses such as music theory exams, and preparing for advanced piano diplomas. Many of our jazz students form ensembles together and we frequently organise concerts and recitals in and around Central London.
Find a course
Browse our range of music courses in London and online below to choose your perfect option: both complete beginners and returning students are equally welcome at City Lit.
- Music, sound, and the moving image
Course start date: Thu 17 Jul 2025Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Neil LuckThis course explores key ideas about music for the screen, covering a broad range of examples, techniques, and ideas.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £62.00 - Great composers: Louise Farrenc Course start date: Thu 24 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Trish ShawDiscover the musical life and work of Louise Farrenc (1804–1875), the celebrated French pianist, composer, teacher and scholar. Learn about her delightful chamber music, her important piano etudes, and her impact on French music and culture in the 19th century.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Music history bookclub: My Tango with Barbara StrozziCourse start date: Fri 1 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Piano/keyboards 5ACourse start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Simon AtkinsFor pianists with around four years' experience. Improve your finger technique, coordination, phrasing, music
reading, and your confidence. - Music theory: counterpoint 1Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayExplore the art of counterpoint, a musical technique in which two or more melodies are combined to create a highly
engaging musical texture. Over the year you will learn contrapuntal technique from Renaissance to Twentieth Century styles, through score analysis and practical exercises. The course is split into three terms, focusing on Renaissance style in term 1. Break week: 28 Oct 2025. - Lieder: music and poetryCourse start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Katy HamiltonFrom the late-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the German Lied developed and blossomed as a musical genre for amateurs, professionals, homes and concert halls. We trace its history through some of its most important composers.
This course has a scheduled break week on 29 Oct 2025. - Singing workshop (contemporary)Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Colette MeuryContinue your study of singing technique and learn songs in popular music styles of folk, jazz, pop, rock, musical theatre. Live sessions online. Develop your musicianship, and add new songs to your repertoire. New students with experience of singing and some formal training are welcome.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - City Lit a cappella Course start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Blended (learn both online and in-person)
Tutors: Della RhodesThis small ensemble of experienced harmony singers learn, record and perform original arrangements of jazz and popular songs. Develop your listening, timing, intonation, musical memory, and team work. New members with good music reading and aural skills are welcome.Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £132.00 - Introduction to chamber musicCourse start date: Fri 26 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Pauline GreeneWhat is chamber music, and how is it different from a Symphony or an opera? What sort of musicians would play chamber music and which periods of music history does it come? - Introduction to string quartetsCourse start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Pauline GreeneString quartets developed new musical forms and ensured success for many composers, whilst allowing an intimate conversation with their audiences. We trace the quartets of the masters from Haydn and Mozart to Shostakovich and beyond.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Music history bookclub: The Great PassionCourse start date: Fri 12 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Music theory: counterpoint 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayExplore the art of counterpoint, a musical technique in which two or more melodies are combined to create a highly engaging musical texture. Through analysis and practical exercises, you'll learn to write effective counterpoint in the tonal style, focusing on the Baroque period. Leads to part 3 next term. Scheduled break week: 17 Feb 2026. - Beethoven's ViennaCourse start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Katy HamiltonLudwig van Beethoven’s music has come to stand for the greatest and best-known aspects of the Western classical tradition. But who was he? And what exactly did he do? Come and discover more about this most famous Viennese composer.
Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Music history bookclub: Viva Violetta and VerdiCourse start date: Fri 17 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Music theory: counterpoint 3Course start date: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayExplore the art of counterpoint, a musical technique in which two or more melodies are combined to create a highly engaging musical texture. This term will focus on imitative forms including invention, canon and fugue, as well as analysing examples of counterpoint in repertoire from the Baroque period to Twentieth Century. Break weeks 26th May 2026.
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