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 theory, music tech, history, 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.
- Musicianship for keyboard players: introductionCourse start date: Mon 11 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Polly HewettImprove your understanding of theory and musicianship in relation to the piano. This course is for pianists who have been learning for around two years.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £30.00 - Folk and pop guitar tasterCourse start date: Tue 12 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony RowdenLearn the essential chords that will begin your guitar career, and develop the motor skill to strum pop songs. Please bring an acoustic guitar.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Classical music: an introductionCourse start date: Tue 12 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Online
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.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £18.00 - Classical guitar taster
Course start date: Wed 13 Jul 2022Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony RowdenEnjoy this introduction to playing classical guitar. Please bring a nylon-strung guitar.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Wagner's Ring Cycle: an overviewCourse start date: Thu 14 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonWagner’s ‘Ring’ Cycle is a mighty epic lasting many hours, full of armies of characters and multiple plot twists – not to mention the musical labels, or ‘leitmotifs’, that Wagner assigns to various people and ideas throughout. This course is intended for those who are keen to find out about Wagner and the Ring, and navigate the action across its four constituent operas.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £18.00 - Saxophone tasterCourse start date: Sat 16 Jul 2022 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David HarrisonDiscover how a saxophone class works, and learn about embouchure, breathing, and fingering. Bring your tenor or alto saxophone to this session.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Jazz guitar tasterCourse start date: Sat 16 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David HarrisonA practical introduction to jazz style and repertoire, harmony and scales, time feels, accompaniment textures and approaches to improvisation. For guitar players with established technique who are new to the jazz idiom.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Pop piano introductionCourse start date: Sat 16 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Angele VeltmeijerDiscover what is involved in learning to play popular piano: how to voice and invert chords, play chord progressions from symbols, and get in the groove. For pianists at grade 4/5 and above.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £33.00 - Clarinet tasterCourse start date: Mon 18 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: George SleightholmeLearn the basics of clarinet playing and discover what is involved in learning the instrument: embouchure, breathing, articulation and fingering. Please bring your own Bb clarinet.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Music history book clubCourse start date: Mon 18 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biography with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme. This term’s book is a biography.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Singing: daily vocal workoutCourse start date: Mon 18 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Heather LongmanDo you find it diffucult to motivate yourself to practise singing? Do you get stuck wondering which warm-ups and exercises are the best ones for you? Or have you had a break from singing and need some encouragemnet to get back into practising? Then come and join us online for a week of daily warm-ups and exercises to get you on the right track.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - Pop piano tasterCourse start date: Wed 20 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarha MooreDiscover what is involved in learning to play popular piano: how to voice and invert chords, play chord progressions from symbols, and get in the groove. For pianists at grade 4 and above who have a command of major and minor scales..Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Recorder tasterCourse start date: Wed 20 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Peter WendlandDiscover or rediscover the joy of this simple but delightful instrument. Learn the basics of fingering and articulation to play new and old tunes, and in ensemble. Please bring your own descant and/or treble.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Ukulele beginners' dayCourse start date: Sat 23 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jake RodriguesMeet the instrument and an expert ukulele player on this fun day. If you have a uke bring it to class, if you do not, we can supply an instrument.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £27.00 - Great works: Parry's Songs of FarewellCourse start date: Tue 26 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Patrick AlliesSongs of Farewell by Hubert Parry (1848-1918) were written in the last 10 years of the composer’s life. This course will explore the personal and historical context of this choral work, and examine how Parry, at the height of his expressive powers, combined moving musical language with poignant texts.
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 £15.00 Concession £12.00
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