Performing Arts Courses & Classes in London and Online
City Lit offers performing arts courses in the heart of Covent Garden in Central London during the evening, daytime and at weekends. Explore our range of subjects including acting, (including accredited acting courses), dance, radio and screen, and voice, speech and communication as well as a full range of music courses, such as piano, singing, strings and wind instruments to jazz and pop, music technology, music theory and history
Our courses are labelled clearly for beginners or those with previous experience and you can speak to a specialist advisor to help you choose the right level. If you would you like some help or advice:
For music courses email music@citylit.ac.uk. You can also view our music auditions and advice page.
For drama, dance and speech courses email drama@citylit.ac.uk
- English pronunciation: stage 3Course start date: Fri 16 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for advanced non-native speakers, and all who have completed 'English Pronunciation' stages 1 and 2. Conversation and the reading aloud of a variety of texts will help to pinpoint those pronunciation worries still to be addressed.
Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £195.00 - English pronunciation: stage 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for people who have completed ‘English Pronunciation: stage 1’ although new students with sufficient skills can join. Develop confidence and clarity, explore diphthongs and triphthongs, inflection and the rhythms of Standard English. This term the course will be taught online
Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £195.00 - Storytelling for business and pleasure 1Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ariella EshedAll cultures respect the world of Story. The ability to tell Stories, in a variety of settings, is a skill that has seen a strong resurgence both in the workplace and in contemporary performance. Gain greater confidence in your communication skills and apply this to your wider experience. This course will be delivered in the college.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £167.00 - Acting: Foundation (Certificate Level 2)
Course start date: Sat 10 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Cara Jennings, Vernon Thompson, Martin WimpressDo you want to be an actor but find it hard to fit the training around your other commitments? This intensive and practical accredited course, running every Saturday for 25 weeks including Induction and final tutorials, provides classes in the core disciplines of acting, voice and movement, and culminates in a showing of contemporary scene work to an invited audience. Successful candidates achieve the Level 2 Certificate in Performing Arts awarded by OCN London.
Full fee £1,499.00 Senior fee £1,499.00 Concession £1,499.00 - Accents: Standard EnglishCourse start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jonathan MulquinAre you an actor or other public speaker stuck in a regional or international accent? Would you like to learn how to speak Standard English? This course is not for speakers of other languages who should take English Pronunciation courses instead. This course will be taught in the college.
Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Radio and podcast presenting: improvers (online)Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Allis MossExtend and develop your skills for a range of podcasts and radio broadcasts, presenting and putting a live news, current affairs, features and music programme to air, creating the content yourselves. The course is the second of three that allows students to progress from complete beginner to an advanced level with the aim of being able to present and pitch programme ideas professionally. You'll need to have taken the beginners’ course or have previous industry experience. This course will be online and supported by a media technician.
Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00 - Music theory: grade 3Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayDevelop your understanding of musical language by learning to read and write rhythm and melody in compound time, phrase structure and anacrusis (upbeat/pickup), transposing between clefs, major and minor keys up to four
sharps/flats. NB: break week 16th Feb 2026.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £174.00 - Music theory: diploma topics 2Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Simon RigbyExplore the music theory topics equivalent in standard to the first year of an undergraduate degree. The topics in this module are selected from the Trinity Associate (AMusTCL) syllabus. Prepare for this exam, or just develop your knowledge. This term: Prescribed works. Mid-term break: 16 Feb 2026. - Fretted instruments ensembleCourse start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Martin WheatleyAn ensemble class for players of any fretted instrument: guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, bass guitar or any other! There will be individual parts for each player suited to their abilities; together we will play all sorts of music. This course is for experienced players, the ability to read one of the following will be necessary: chord symbols, tablature or musical notation. Challenging and fun - the music/repertoire will be tailored to your various abilities.
Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00 - Keyboard harmony 5B Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ricardo GosalboA practical workshop for classical pianists who are new to studying harmony, but with piano skills of grade 5 or higher. Taught on individual keyboards, this module focuses on the rudiments of harmonic analysis (keys, chords, chord progressions, etc.) and its relevance to approaching piano music. You will broaden your understanding of piano repertoire by studying the harmonic constructs that underpin them. It is recommended to complete this 3-module course in preparation for the Harmony & Piano Performance Workshop. Break week: 16 Feb 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - The essential history of jazz in 20 cutsCourse start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Albi GravenerThrough a selection of 20 iconic albums, we will study the key figures, the innovators and the star soloists of 20th century jazz, as well as some important artists you might be less familiar with. Break week: 16 Feb 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Music theory: counterpoint 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayExplore the art of counterpoint, a musical technique in which two or more melodies are combined to create a highly engaging musical texture. Through analysis and practical exercises, you'll learn to write effective counterpoint in the tonal style, focusing on the Baroque period. Leads to part 3 next term. Scheduled break week: 17 Feb 2026. - Michael Tippett: an introduction to his musicCourse start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonMichael Tippett was a British composer like no other, with interests in everything from Purcell and Beethoven to rock music and American spirituals. Come and discover the life and works of this unusual, brilliant, witty and beautiful musician.
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Exploring opera 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneJoin us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. break week: 17 Feb 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Listening to the 20th century 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward HendersonUsing Alex Ross’s The Rest is Noise as a guide this course investigates art music in the second half of the twentieth century. This module covers the music of the Cold War culture wars, American experimental music, Minimalism and the use of technology. Break week: 17th February 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00
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