The Ashburnham English Song Awards are held in the heart of East Sussex, where we are part of a thriving arts and music community. Take a look at all the exciting upcoming events near us, as well as further afield!
January 2026
18th Jan: Royal Academy of Music Song Circle at Wigmore Hall
On Sunday 18th Jan, the Royal Academy of Music presents its Annual Song Circle at Wigmore Hall with students at the Academy performing a number of pieces concerning themes of marriage and new love, woven through the selections of Wolf and Duparc songs and culminating in the ‘happily ever after’ of Strauss’s ‘Tomorrow’. The concert will be one hour without an interval, and tickets can be purchased here.
23rd Jan: Julia Wolfe presents unEarth at the Barbican Centre
US composer Julia Wolfe, presents her new work unEarth, as it receives its UK premiere at the Barbican Centre on Friday 23rd Jan. Performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, Finchley Children’s Music Group, and Danish soprano Else Torp, unEarth is a large-scale oratorio about the climate crisis, consisting of three movements. Combining a multitude of performance arts and styles, unEarth portrays an urgent plea to engage the listener in the climate emergency. The event begins at 7:30pm and tickets are available here.
31st Jan: Ballet Music by Candlelight at St Martin’s in the Fields
On 31st Jan, St Martin’s will be transformed by candlelight as the St Martin’s Chamber Ensemble perform unforgettable excerpts from some of the world’s greatest ballets, inclduing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and the beloved Nutcracker Suite. The performance will be 60 minutes with no interval, and tickets can be found here.
23rd Jan – 7th Feb: Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘HMS Pinafore’ from the English National Opera
The English National Opera present Gilbert and Sullivan’s much loved operetta is now playing at the London Coliseum. With charm, wit and unforgettable tunes, this joyous production creates a theatrical experience that has enchanted audiences for generations. Starring Mel Giedroyc as a guest performer, the production also stars Neal Davis as Rt. Hon Sir Joseph Porter and John Savourin as Captain Corcoran. Tickets are selling fast, so get yours here!
29th Jan: The Merry Opera Company: Così Fan Tutte at Blackheath Halls
On January 29th, The Merry Opera Company will perform Così Fan Tutte at the Blackheath Halls, with the performance beginning at 7pm. Set to some of Mozart’s most intricate music and sung in English to a translation by Amanda Holden, The Merry Opera Company brings to life this vibrant production of Mozart’s much-loved classic. The Merry Opera Company was formed in 2007 with the aim of showing “people how opera, sung in a language you can understand, with words you can hear clearly and in which the singers convince the audience, really does thrill with its drama, delight with its comedy and tug at the heartstrings”. Tickets for Così Fan Tutte can be found here!
February 2026
14th Feb: The Opera Workshop with Nicholas Chalmers at Francis Holland School
Join renowned conductor Nicholas Chalmers (National Youth Choir/BBC Singers) for a day learning a range of choral numbers from some of the most notable and popular operas, and showcase them in an informal perfoamnce at the end of the day! Singers are also welcome to join the Choral Conducting Workshop on Sunday 15th to sing for the conducting students. Refreshments will be served throughout the day! Find more information via the Sing for Pleasure website and book your space for the workshop here.
22nd Feb: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Classical Greats Encore at Cadogan Hall
On Sunday 22nd Febraury, join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as they perform four of the most celebrated pieces in orchestral repertoire, including Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture (‘Fingal’s Cave’). Performed in the beautiful Cadogan Hall, the concert begins at 3:30pm with running time TBA. Get your tickets here!
April 2026
18th-26th April 2026: HGO presents The Rape Of Lucretia
Throughout April, HGO (North London’s leading opera company) produces their new production of Britten’s ‘The Rape Of Lucretia’. Providing performance opportunities for recent graduates from music colleges, HGO stages first-class award-winning operas, twice a year in London at affordable prices. Britten’s opera explores themes of innocence, guilt, power and redemption with an intensely intimate score. Performed at Jackson’s Lane Theatre, tickets will be available soon!