<img src='' title='Event Category: Music' alt='' id='templ_icon_' width='' height='' /> Event Category: Music

A century of movie musicals, live in one evening.

Some songs stay with you. Whether you first heard them at the cinema, on a Sunday afternoon with your parents, or curled up watching old films with your grandparents, the songs from The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story, Wicked and dozens more have a way of never quite leaving. Hooray for Hollywood brings them back to life.

Liza Pulman and Joe Stilgoe weave a century of movie musical songs into an evening of laughter, romance and pure joy. Pulman brings a voice of exceptional warmth and clarity. Stilgoe’s piano playing is inventive, brilliant and impossible to take your eyes off. Together, they hold the room completely.

No orchestra. No spectacle. Just the songs you love, performed by people who love them as much as you do.

★★★★ ‘All elegance, escapism and generosity’ Spy in the Stalls

Photo credit: Matt Crockett

Is Shakspere Shakespeare?
A socio-political take on the authorship question
by Ege Maltepe

After a sold-out run in Istanbul, Turkish playwright and actress Ege Maltepe brings her acclaimed play to London—now in English.

What do we really know about Shakespeare? A mysterious genius, we are told, who rose from modest beginnings in a small town to become the greatest writer in world literature. But is that story so simple? Or even believable?

Is Shakspere Shakespeare? begins with a historical controversy. It explores the socio-political forces behind the name “Shakespeare.” It asks why an artist’s identity might be concealed—and what that reveals about art and power in a colonised and industrialised world.

The play unfolds in a witty and philosophical courtroom inspired by Plato’s cave. It is guided by an original character, a playful figure, “Madam Art” alongside appearances from iconic Shakespearean characters and English queens.

A Fulbright scholar, Maltepe studied with Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols in New York. She later gained recognition in New York’s theatre scene through her original plays and theatrical concerts with pianist Emir Gamsız. She also introduced the improvisational acting technique “Spolin”  to Türkiye, helping spark a new movement in theatre.

Following the tradition of her first mentor, legendary theatre artist Ferhan Şensoy, Maltepe writes, directs, and performs the piece herself. She embodies eight characters, seamlessly. The audience soon forgets it is a solo play.

With classical music woven into its dramaturgy—and acclaimed pianist Emir Gamsız at the piano—the performance invites audiences to re-think history, authorship, and the true power of art.

Written and performed by Ege Maltepe
Pianist: Emir Gamsız
Music: Bach, Händel, Scarlatti, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Amy Beach and Emir Gamsiz
Voice of the Judge: Emir Gamsız
Technical Crew: Nalan Asya Asenova, Nesime Olcay, Rauf Olcay, Emrah and Melis Gamsızoglu

Chatty Pianist: Piano Rumours
Gossip, myths and scandals in classical music
by Emir Gamsız

Music history is full of stories: some documented, some distorted, and some entirely invented. Works reach us carrying more than what is written in the score—controversial attributions, dubious nicknames, romantic rumours, rivalries between musicians, nationalist claims, and unreliable biographies.

In this programme, Chatty Pianist Emir Gamsız explores well-known virtuoso works by nine composers, from Bach to Prokofiev, alongside the rumours that surround them.

The first half of the programme focuses on post-Beethoven composers—their personal worlds, relationships, conflicts, and scandals that continue to echo today. The second half turns to two of the greatest figures in music history, Bach and Beethoven, examining the social tensions between art, the artist, and the ruling classes of wealth and power.

The second half opens with the premiere of Emir Gamsız’s new piano transcription of Bach’s most famous work, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565). With this transcription, Gamsız joins the long line of musicians who have reimagined this organ work—whose authorship has been debated for centuries—for the piano.

From scandals and composer rivalries to myths, salon gossip and Parisian cafés; from stories of imprisonment and duels to portraits of defiant artistic independence, this programme moves between documented history and inherited narratives. And in reflecting on today’s music world, the Chatty Pianist does not shy away from becoming a subject of gossip himself.

This is neither a lecture nor a comedy.
This is stories unfolding through a classical piano recital.
This is a Chatty Pianist concert.

Presented by Jeux d’Art and Educante.

Clementine Douglas

Birmingham born and Brighton based, Clementine Douglas is fast becoming one of the UK’s most distinctive voices in contemporary music. Emerging in 2019 as the front woman of Kudu Blue, she quickly carved out a reputation for her soulful tone and sharp songwriting, before stepping confidently into her solo career.

In just a few short years, Clementine has become a go-to collaborator for some of the biggest names in dance and electronic music. Her credits include work with Chase & Status, Sonny Fodera, MK, Dom Dolla, and The Blessed Madonna. She reached a career milestone last year by teaming up with Calvin Harris for the UK chart-topping single “Blessings” which was named as the “Song Of The Summer” 2025 and went on to be nominated for 2 x BRIT Awards in 2026.

Her rise has been marked not only by high-profile collaborations but also by industry recognition. In 2022, she was named Dance Vocalist of the Year at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards, followed by Breakthrough Vocalist of the Year at the DJ Mag Best of British Awards in 2024.

With her distinctive artistry, ability to move seamlessly between genres, and a growing catalogue of acclaimed releases, Clementine Douglas has established herself as one of the most exciting singers, songwriters, and producers of her generation. And with her career still in its early stages, her trajectory points only upward.

Presented by Baluji Music Foundation

An immersive journey through the heat and beauty of the summer in India.

Experience through music the atmosphere of India’s scorching summer as expressed through the powerful medium of Indian classical music. Raag Darbari—the king of ragas created by the legendary court musician Tansen to soothe Emperor Akbar during the oppressive heat—evokes a profound sense of surrender. This is the season when people cool themselves by drinking aam panna from raw mango with mint leaves and roohafza from roses, and traditionally hung fragrant curtains sprayed with water to evaporate in the burning air.

Indian life is infused with customs and cycles that have shaped generations over millennia. Summer festivals, foods and rituals remain central to daily life, flavoured by sounds, smells, songs, dances, legends and poetry that capture the intensity of the season.

Baluji Shrivastav OBE is one of the world’s leading sitar players and composers, having performed with artists including Stevie Wonder, Coldplay, Massive Attack, and Shakira. Baluji Shrivastav OBE Growing up in rural India, he experienced first-hand the rhythm of the seasons. The intense power of nature and her influence on music is encapsulated through the knowledge and imagination of this great multi-instrumentalist composer. It is a reflection of a life dedicated to the rich and boundless beauty of Indian music.

Returning to Wilton’s once again by popular demand, Los Angeles-born pianist and composer Brian Clemens and Vocal Jazz star Francesca Confortini bring their latest programme, Broadway to the West End, to the stage for two nights. The programme offers a stylish trip back in time, celebrating the Great American and British Songbook through some of the most enduring music of the 20th century. From the elegance of George Gershwin to the theatrical wit of Lionel Bart, iconic songs from both sides of the Atlantic are brought to life by a roaring big band featuring some of London’s finest musicians.

Following the success of Songs of the Silver Screen, which played to packed houses at Wilton’s and toured theatres across the UK, the Brian Clemens Big Band returns with a new programme while also featuring audience favourites from the previous production, including celebrated music from James Bond and beyond. Praised by The Spy in the Stalls as “a whirlwind ride through the music world,” the concert showcases the musical chemistry between Clemens and Confortini, whose powerful vocals have been heard alongside artists such as Cat Stevens and Rod Stewart.

Now, the band returns once again to the magical hall where their journey began, for an evening of show-stopping entertainment you won’t want to miss.

Experience an evening of dazzling glitz, glamour, and exceptional music as the incomparable Christina Bianco joins the London Gay Big Band for DIVAS – Legends Live Loud!

Wilton’s Music Hall will be transformed on Friday 17 July 2026 into a shimmering celebration of the greatest divas in music history.

This spectacular concert offers a sumptuous tribute to the iconic songs of Shirley Bassey, Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Tina Turner, Cher, Kylie Minogue, Bonnie Tyler, Whitney Houston and many more. With Christina Bianco’s remarkable vocal range and her celebrated ability to capture the essence of the world’s most renowned divas, you’re in for a performance like no other.

Beloved diva anthems will be brought to life by the dynamic 20- piece London Gay Big Band, acclaimed for their vibrant sound, lush arrangements, and show-stopping flair. This promises to be an evening of opulent music, high-voltage elegance, and irresistible diva magic that you won’t want to miss.

The Fourth Choir, conducted by Jamie Powe

with Special Guest, cabaret legend Barb Jungr

Following two sold-out runs of James Joyce’s The Dead, London’s classical queer choir returns to Wilton’s to explore modern classics from the jazz and pop worlds of the ‘50s to the ‘80s.

How did queer artists express their innermost feelings at a time when just a rumour that an artist was queer was enough to destroy their careers or even lead to a visit from the police? The hit song “Have I the Right to Hold You?” sold a million copies worldwide in 1964 but do the lyrics reveal deeper meanings when we know that the writers, Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, were both gay men? Did Bowie really release a song as early as 1966 about a trans man joining the army? Did Rod Stewart’s song about a murdered gay friend really stay in the UK charts for ten weeks in 1976? And how did queer artists respond to the AIDS crisis?

The Fourth Choir is delighted that the concert will include a guest appearance by cabaret legend Barb Jungr (“one of the very best nightclub singers in the world” Time Out, New York).

Barb and The Fourth Choir will be paying tribute to queer artists and their allies who found ways during deeply homophobic times for voices expressing queer emotions to emanate from the country’s radios and record-players, like invisible… life-enhancing… rainbows.

“Everything sounded flawless…a performance that resonated deeply” ★★★★★ Trouw (Dutch national newspaper)

Are you musically curious?

Join Steve Pretty — musician, composer and host of the acclaimed podcast Steve Pretty On the Origin of the Pieces — for an evening of live music, stories and sonic experiments that’ll help you hear, understand and enjoy music in new ways.

Best known as the leader of brass pioneers Hackney Colliery Band (“one of the greatest live bands that we have in this country” — BBC Radio 2), Steve will be joined by some very special guests drawn from across the musical map, from award-winning artists to brilliant specialists you may not have heard of (yet).

Blending live music, conversation, surprising stories, playful humour and hands-on demonstrations, this one-of-a-kind night explores where musical ideas come from, how they evolve, and why sound affects us as strongly as it does.

Whether you’re a musically curious shower singer, a seasoned musician or anything in between, this “wide-ranging and insightful” (Guardian) show will leave you “better informed and happier about the world” (WhatsOnStage).

Steve’s guests will include:

Jim Bob from Carter USM
As singer with cult indie heroes Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, Jim Bob had a number one album, toured the world and headlined Glastonbury. Since Carter, Jim has released fourteen solo albums, published six novels and three memoirs and appeared in a musical. A genius and national treasure, still humble enough to admit to writing his own publicity blurbs.

The Ocean Songs Project, featuring

Lottie P (Goat Girl): Guitar/Vocals
Nic Pendlebury (Smith Quartet): viola, wine glasses
Colin Riley (composer): piano, synths
Steve Pretty: trumpet, shells, electronics

Website: www.originofthepieces.com

“Wonderful” The Wire

Award-winning performer-composers Emily Levy & Matthew Bourne’s Mercury Songs is a powerful reimagining of British folk, rooted in our country’s radical history and inspired by Julia Varley, a pioneering British activist, trade unionist, suffragette, and social reformer. She devoted her life to improving the working conditions of women and was jailed twice for her suffragist protests, leaving a legacy of tireless advocacy for the rights of working women.

A 5-piece ensemble weaves together a delicate, experimental orchestration with rich vocal textures, drawing from traditional British folk songs to tell stories of empowered women, challenging familiar tropes of tragic heroines or seductresses with bold narratives of agency and defiance.

Created for the PRS Foundation New Music Biennial, the original 15-minute piece was premiered in 2025, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and released by NMC Recordings. This is the world premiere of the full work.

Mercury Songs is co-commissioned by Spitalfields Music and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

EMILY LEVY Composer, Voice, Electronics
MATTHEW BOURNE Composer, Piano, Cello, Synth
MICK BARDON Cello
NICK RASLE Guitar, Voice
ABY VULLIAMY Viola, Voice