Support the seventh Summer Music in City Churches

The seventh SUMMER MUSIC IN CITY CHURCHES takes place 17th - 28th June 2025 on the theme ETERNAL LIGHT: a festival presenting music inspired by sunrise, moonlight, impressions and reflections in life on earth, and the perpetual light of remembrance. Greatly loved choral Requiem settings form its pillars but concerts include a wide and eclectic selection of music. All evening concerts this year take place in St Giles-without-Cripplegate and lunchtime recitals in an assortment of City Churches.

Founded in 2018, SUMMER MUSIC IN CITY CHURCHES is an independent festival presenting beautiful music to engage, divert and inspire, in ancient and architecturally stunning churches in London's Square Mile: oases of history, beauty and peace in the midst of 21st century City life. Following the pandemic, the festival ran against the odds in 2021, presenting intimate and uplifting concerts to socially distanced audiences, whose reactions more than justified the complications of going ahead.

This year's fabulous artists include the world-famous Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir John Rutter, the City of London Choir, piano soloists Viv McLean and Lucy Parham, rising stars Eleanor Grant and Gus McQuade, the acclaimed Corvus Consort, and award-winning guitarist Jack Hancher.

Box office receipts can never cover the costs of staging these concerts and the festival is therefore dependent on the generosity of sponsors and donors. The organisers are determined to keep the festival viable for future years and are therefore appealing for donations. We have received generous offers of matched funding and therefore will be able to double whatever we can raise by crowd-funding. All contributions, however modest, help us maximise those pledges and are very gratefully received.

What some of our audience members said in 2024:

“The acoustics in St Giles Cripplegate are fabulous, making the whole lunchtime concert a wonderful interlude in a busy world. I could have happily listened to the Tier3 Trio for the rest of the day.”

“Wow, what an amazing programme to play all 8 perfect pieces without an interval break! We’ve seen Viv McLean play before and he’s just great and communicates with the audience so well. FOH were very welcoming and helpful.”

“This was the sixth concert of the Summer Music in City Churches series I had attended. The performance was outstanding with music that complemented the Rhapsody in Blue theme. The venue was unique and the event well organised. I loved being close to the performer. It was a warm and welcoming environment. I will miss these concerts now the event has come to an end.”​

​“David Greco’s baritone voice is heavenly and his seamless performance of Franz Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin completely mesmerising. I have heard this before but never as superb and faultless as today. The acoustics in St Giles are excellent. I was riveted by this performance…and bereft when it was over! Thank you to everyone.”

​“A beautiful way to spend a lunchtime with romantic music from a most accomplished quartet in a lovely church in the midst of the Barbican complex. A perfect hour of life enrichment.” [Brother Tree Sound]

​“Tango in a London church dating from the 11th century? It didn’t seem likely. The result as it transpired was utterly and completely compelling.”

“Well done to the team that put the whole series of concerts together.”​

​“This high-quality series of concerts is certainly one to look out for.”

“I always look forward to the summer music programme in this lovely church: a touch of (beautifully restored) history in the heart of the Barbican complex. I hadn’t heard a full orchestra here before and was pleasantly surprised at the rich acoustics. A front-pew seat ensured an unrivalled up-close view of the soloist and string section.” [Royal Philharmonic Orchestra plays Finzi, Chopin and Mendelssohn]