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 - 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 - 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 - Great works: Brahms's Clarinet QuintetCourse start date: Tue 4 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Karen BetleyExplore this much-loved work by Brahms and learn about the performer and the instrument it was originally written for.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add me to waiting list