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 two Model D Steinway 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.
- Mindful singingCourse start date: Sat 28 Jan 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Clare FosterEngage all your senses to connect mind and body awareness while singing. Explore how the psyche affects how we relate to singing. This is a practical course in the classroom for singers in all styles, not an academic study.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00 - Introduction to music productionCourse start date: Fri 3 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Max La VillaCome and learn the basics of recording and editing using a free or cheap digital audio program that can run on either Mac or PC. Turn your musical ideas into completed songs you can share!Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 - Sing rock and pop: beginnersCourse start date: Fri 3 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Heather LongmanStart singing and explore your voice in this fun, confidence-building course. These classes will introduce you to healthy use of your singing voice and basic musicianship through a selection of songs from the pop and rock genre. Particular attention is given to pop and rock vocal technique.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 - Chamber music: advancedCourse start date: Sun 5 Feb 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gisela MeyerDiscover the pleasure of playing in small, mixed instrumental ensembles, one per part, in a variety of repertoire in this short 5 week weekend intensive. For classical instrumentalists at grade 6 or above, with good sight-reading skills. Break week 26th of Feburary 2023.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £118.00 - Introduction to film musicCourse start date: Mon 27 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneMusic has always been an important part of film-going, filling the silence and creating sometimes startling effects. We will look at the way directors have used music to enhance, enrich and enthral audiences from cinema’s earliest days.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00 - Music theory: grade 8Course start date: Mon 27 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Karl LutchmayerLearn more complex elements of music such as writing two-part counterpoint above a given harmony, writing for
keyboard in historical styles, writing melodies for instrument, and analysing a score (ornaments, harmonic structure,
phrase structure, style, performance directions, use of voices and instruments). Course schedule: 27 Feb - 27 Mar, 24 Apr, 15 - 22 May, 5 June - 17 July 2023.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £299.00 Concession £194.00 - Song lyric writing for popular musicCourse start date: Tue 28 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Polly HewettCreate original, catchy and memorable lyrics from scratch. Learn how to generate lyrics from your everyday experiences. Look at structure, creating a hook and finding your unique writing style. This short course will run online. It functions as a preparation for song writing studies to follow.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £69.00 - Mixing and music production techniquesCourse start date: Wed 1 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Max La VillaIdeal if you know the basics but want your music to sound more polished and professional. Tips and tricks for mixing, using compressors, limiters, EQ, reverb and other devices. Examples will be given in a variety of software on Mac computers, although the course is equally suitable for users of other systems.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 - Amy Beach: an introductionCourse start date: Thu 2 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy Hamilton
In the last few decades of the nineteenth century, as American composers were starting to determine their own nationalist approach to art music, the brilliant pianist and composer Amy Beach was a hugely popular figure in US musical life – in defiance of her family and husband. Come and learn about this symphonist who offered her own ‘reply’ to Dvorák’s Symphony ‘From the New World’.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00 - World music mix: rhythm driven tunes from Brazil, Cuba, Ghana and SenegalCourse start date: Fri 3 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarha MooreLearn to play tunes from several traditions and two continents, working with complex rhythms in related and contrasting ways. There is a musical narrative that begins in Africa, travels to the Caribbean and South America, then back to Africa, carrying musical styles and rhythmic patterns. We will explore samples of this rhythmic timeline in this instrumental ensemble class.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Sampling, beat-making and synth programmingCourse start date: Fri 3 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Max La VillaLearn to create your own more original tracks by manipulating samples, beats and synth sounds to individualise your sound.Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 - Come and sing: Guys and DollsCourse start date: Sat 1 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Siobhan Blake, Richard Hartley WilsonGuys and Dolls - the iconic musical from 1950 and the1955 film starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra contains some of the most memorable repertoire from the 20th century musical theatre catalogue. Come and explore the highlights in several variations (solos, duets and ensemble numbers) at our friendly weekend workshop. "Fugue for Tinhorns", "I'll know", "A Bushel and a Peck", "Adelaide's Lament", "If I were a Bell", "Luck be a Lady" and " Sit Down you're Rocking the Boat"are just some of the classic songs covered. Please contact music@citylit.ac.uk if you would like to sing solo.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £69.00 - Viola workshopCourse start date: Sun 2 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyFocus on technique and musicianship especially for viola: on playing on the C string, reading alto clef fluently, left-hand work and more. For viola players, and violin players who wish to add an extra string to their bow!Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - 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 - Music history book clubCourse start date: Mon 3 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)
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. This term’s book is a new novel about Handel.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00
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