Summer Music in City Churches

Start: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 7:30PM
End: Friday, June 26, 2026 7:30PM

Guest artists are drawn from the finest musicians and collaborative partnerships performing internationally today, including Rachel Nicholls and Michael Dussek, Lucy Parham with Juliet Stevenson, Mark Bebbington with Alistair McGowan, and Iain Farrington’s jazz trio. Joining them will be multi-talented duo Eleanor Grant and Gus McQuade, and young singers from Hackney Choral. A wealth of chamber music further enriches the programme, with lunchtime performances by Brother Tree Sound, Tier3 Trio, Cassatt Trio, and Sonas Quartet. Opening the festival, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Gergely Madaras conjure the Mediterranean warmth of Spain and Italy in works by Rossini, Ravel and Mendelssohn. They are joined by guitarist Jack Hancher, 2022 Royal Overseas League Gold Medalist and EuroStrings Artist, as soloist in Rodrigo's evocative Concierto de Aranjuez. There are opportunities to hear the City of London Choir led by Daniel Hyde on two contrasting occasions performances; as part of a Festival Choral Evensong in the grand tradition of British cathedrals, and to celebrate traditional song rooted in the land - from George Shearing's jazz settings to Elgar in Bavaria, in the festival’s delightful finale, ‘Islands and Highlands’. Venues St Giles-without-Cripplegate, Fore Street, Barbican EC2Y 8DA St Andrew by the Wardrobe, St Andrew's Hill, Queen Victoria Street EC4V 5DE St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, Bishopsgate EC2M 3TL St Mary-at-Hill, Lovat Lane, EC3R 8EE St Stephen Walbrook, 39 Walbrook EC4N 8BN Tickets from £17.50 - £35.00. Photo by Ben Wright