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.
- Great works: Handel's SemeleCourse start date: Wed 6 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Pauline Greene, Daniel UnruhExplore Handel’s ever-popular oratorio from Ovid’s original tale to William Congreve’s English libretto, and discover key features of Handel’s musical language.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - Great works: Strauss's ElektraCourse start date: Fri 8 Jul 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Karen Betley, Justin MurrayExplore the title figure of Strauss’s trail blazing opera from ancient Greek mythology to Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s German libretto, and discover key innovations in Strauss’s musical language.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - 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 - 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
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 - Music history book clubCourse start date: Mon 18 Jul 2022 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
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 - 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 - 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 - Great works: West Side StoryCourse start date: Tue 2 Aug 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneSixty-five years ago, West Side Story took Broadway by storm, and now a new film is doing the same. Who created it and how, and what impact did it have on musicals – and in films - afterwards?Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £18.00 - Great works: Byrd's Quomodo cantabimusCourse start date: Wed 24 Aug 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenExplore the eight-voice motet Quomodo cantabimus (How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land) by William Byrd and learn how it may be interpreted as a reaction to the newly-protestant England in which he lived.
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 - Great works: White ChristmasCourse start date: Mon 5 Dec 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneHow did we all become so obsessed with snow in December? From Irving Berlin’s song to its use in several films and on stage, we look at the huge impact of this little ditty which has become the defining image of Christmas for many.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Christmas Carols: a brief historyCourse start date: Thu 8 Dec 2022
Location on this date: Mixed Mode (Online and In Person)
Tutors: Edward BreenDiscover the rich heritage of Christmas carols. Learn about traditional forms of the carol and the history behind selected examples from the medieval to twentieth century.
This course will be delivered online and in person. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great works: Mozart's Eine kleine NachtmusikCourse start date: Thu 8 Dec 2022
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Karen BetleyExplore this much-loved work by Mozart and learn about the performers and the instruments it was originally written for.
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 £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Christmas crooningCourse start date: Mon 12 Dec 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Richard Hartley WilsonDon your sparkly jumpers and get into the Christmas spirit as you sing along to some Christmas classics!Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Great composers: Ralph Vaughan WilliamsCourse start date: Tue 13 Dec 2022
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish ShawExplore the musical world of one of England's most important composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, on the 150th anniversary of his birth.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00
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