Music History Courses in London and Online
City Lit offers an extensive programme of online music history and music appreciation courses with a focus on Western classical music, Folk, Jazz, Rock and Pop. There are new topics each year across a growing range of music styles and traditions.
To find out more about music history classes and to read our year-long selection of courses, please see the blog post Music history: your guide to our programme which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.
Our staff are all professional musicians who teach, write, broadcast, lecture and perform widely. In recent years they have worked with BBC Radio 3, Gramophone magazine, Birkbeck (University of London), The Open University, Oxford and Cambridge University Press, Early Music, The Orchestra of the age of Enlightenment, The Wigmore Hall and the Aldeburgh Festival.
Many of our students learn for pleasure but some also come to enhance their careers: recent examples include board members of music charities, marketing and administration professionals from orchestras and gap-year students considering university entrance.
Feel free to browse our programme and do email us at music@citylit.ac.uk with any questions.
- Great works: The Beggar's OperaCourse start date: Mon 3 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneWas this the first musical? Using popular song and opera tunes of the day, new satirical words poked fun at serious opera in this everyday tale of skulduggery among the criminal classes, with a charismatic but murderous hero.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great works: Grieg's Piano ConcertoCourse start date: Thu 6 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonGrieg was just 24 years old when he wrote this, one of his best-loved works. We explore its genesis, early performances, and why it has remained such a popular work within the vast repertoire of nineteenth-century piano concertos.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Exploring opera 3Course start date: Mon 24 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneJoin us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this third term we’ll explore Verdi, Wagner and the early 20th century. Break weeks: 01, 06 & 29 May 2023 (Bank holidays).Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Introduction to musical analysisCourse start date: Mon 24 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneAn introduction to the major building blocks of music. Learn about melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form and performance directions, and how to recognise these facets within further areas of study. Break weeks: 1 May, 6 May, 29 May 2023.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Exploring classical music: module 3Course start date: Tue 25 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Tutors: Edward BreenDo you want to know more about classical music history? Explore selected topics and key works in Romantic and modern music on this highly informative 10 week course. Ideal for people with no specialist knowledge. Please note this course has a mid-term break: 30 May 2023.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - The music of the Ballet RussesCourse start date: Tue 25 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward HendersonGet to know the music used and commissioned by the Ballet Russes from 1909-1929. This fascinating moment takes us from the 19th century Russian music of Borodin, Rimsky Korsakov and Tchaikovsky, through controversial neo-primitive like the Rite of Spring to the cool neoclassicism of Satie, Milhaud, Poulenc and Stravinsky. Break week: 30 May 2023.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Early music in the 20th centuryCourse start date: Tue 25 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenExplore the early music pioneers of the 20th century. Learn about different approaches in each genre and unpick some of the arguments about ‘authenticity’ and ‘historically informed performance’ with instruments and voices. Scheduled break week 30 May 2023.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Exploring classical music: module 2Course start date: Tue 17 Jan 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Tutors: Neil LuckDo you want to know more about classical music history? Explore selected topics and key works in Baroque to Classical music on this highly informative 10 week course. Ideal for people with no specialist knowledge. This course has a scheduled break week: 21 February 2023.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Score reading: interpreting styles and composersCourse start date: Wed 12 Jul 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward Breen, Trish ShawLearn to navigate music scores and analyse basic structures. Learn to identify stylistic characteristics of music from different periods of music history, suitable for developing your understanding of music in its historical context, and to support the style identification elements of grade 5+ ABRSM exams.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 - Great works: Stravinsky's Les NocesCourse start date: Wed 19 Jul 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish ShawWhy is Stravinsky's Les Noces still considered such an important work a century after its first performance by the Ballets Russes in Paris in June 1923? Come and discover how this work was conceived and created, and its impact on music and dance in the 20th century.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great artists: Enrico CarusoCourse start date: Mon 24 Jul 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneCaruso, born 200 years ago, was not only a stupendous singer but also a best-selling recording artiste. We find out how he became the first modern superstar tenor.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Opera appreciation: an introductionCourse start date: Mon 24 Jul 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneWhat is opera? And how do you approach it? Explore the ostentatious, sometimes overwhelming, world of opera through study of two major works and styles.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 - Classical music: an introductionCourse start date: Tue 8 Aug 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonAre you interested in finding out more about classical music but not sure where to start? This taster course will
introduce you to the history of music through a careful choice of works.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £19.00
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