Spitalfields Music Winter Festival

The end of the year is an exciting time in Spitalfields, and we’d like you to join us 5-16 December for a musical celebration featuring baroque and renaissance masterpieces, new and unexpected music, world premieres, seasonal treats and music for all ages to enjoy.

Early music highlights include two concerts by countertenor Iestyn Davies in a candlelit Shoreditch Church with lutenist Elizabeth Kenny and later in the festival with The English Concert. We’re also looking forward to welcoming The Sixteen back to Spitalfields with a festive programme. Festival newcomers, French baroque ensemble Le Concert Spirituel explores the music of the 18th century and vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro make their festival debut with a seasonal musical narrative through the ages.

BAFTA Award-wining writer Alan Gilbey returns with Tales from the Ditch, a theatrical journey through the East End in the underground spaces of Shoreditch Town Hall, and Claudia Molitor presents Vast White Stillness, a part-installation, part-performance exploring the half-remembered. The Clerks combine music and science in Phantom Voices a late-night performance of musical ‘hauntings’ exploring auditory hallucination.

We’re also introducing new music including works by Gérard Pesson and Sam Hayden with French quartet Quatuor Diotima, and a special collaboration between Polish ensemble Kwartludium and previous Associate Artist Scanner. Throughout the Festival Gawain Hewitt’s Conversations, a musical canvas which you can explore with your hands, eyes and ears will be touring festival venues, bringing the music life and creating a conversation between you and the sounds of Dhaka.

For the youngest of ears, our interactive opera series for toddlers Musical Rumpus returns with Catch a Sea Star in a magical underwater world, and on Sunday 7 December there’s a day for the whole family to enjoy with a Winter Fayre on Spitalfields City Farm including workshops led by Spitalfields Music musicians. There’s also a chance for you to make music with us at our half-day celebration of song and music-making Sing Out.