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.
- Exploring opera 3
Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 1 other date)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. NB Brreak week: 29 May 2025.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £174.00 - Exploring classical music: module 3 Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenDo you want to know more about Western classical music? Explore selected topics and key works in Romantic and modern music on this informative 10-week course. Ideal for people with no specialist knowledge. NB: Break week 29 May 2025.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00 - Exploring classical music: module 1 Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Neil LuckDo you want to know more about Western classical music? Explore selected topics and key works in Medieval to (early) Baroque music on this informative 10-week course. Ideal for people with no specialist knowledge. NB: Break week: 20 Feb 2025. - Music and the Jungian psyche Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nadia PerezAn invitation to consider music and the psyche from a Jungian perspective. Investigate how we listen to and make meaning of music, both literally and with a symbolic attitude. Study and discuss different aspects of music and link them to Jungian principles, such as musicking and active imagination.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Operas in production Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneLooking at operas coming up in this season, we will discuss their composition, context, controversies and style, and then hear the story of the opera through musical examples. Break week: 29 May 2025
NB Break week: 29 May 2025.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £167.00
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