Living in London

Enjoy world class music while on student budget

By WardenJessica 09 Nov 2022

As a music lover and a pianist, I am always fascinated by the variety of music concerts that London offers. After a whole week of intense study, what a nice treat it could be to enjoy some world class classical concerts. Not going to name all my favorites (as it will sound saliently biased), many world class orchestras and musicians such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle, Dame Mitsuko Uchida, Alice Sara Ott, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yuja Wang and Kian Soltani often perform in London. With student concession and/or early ticket sales, even if you are on a student budget, it is not only possible, but also handy to appreciate world class classical music at a reasonable and affordable price.

Wigmore Hall: £5 tickets for under 35

Built for recitals in 1901 in Renaissance architectural style, Wigmore Hall was originally named Bechstein Hall. In my opinion, because of its intimate and elegant spatial setting – with red velvet seating and wooden architectural materials, amongst all kinds of performance, I found myself enjoy small ensembles, such as solos, two pianos and quintet the most at Wigmore. If you are under 35, the Wigmore Hall offers £5 tickets, which means you can get the best central seats that may cost up to £40 at standard tickets price.

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Southbank Center: Musicians from around the world

What I like about Southbank Center is the wide range of concerts that it offers. Hosting classical concerts in both the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Center invites musicians and orchestras from around the world to deliver classical music with a fresh touch. For instance, a piano recital was once delivered by Alice Sara Ott, not only with a grand piano, but also with multimedia and art projection (Alice Sara Ott, 2021, Alice Sara Ott: Echoes of Life).

Also, like most organizations, Southbank Center programs their concerts according to seasons. When it comes to mid to late December, I would love a Christmassy Nutcracker orchestral concert in Southbank Center, followed by a river walk with hot chocolate and Christmas lights. According to Southbank center policy (till the publishing date of this article), you can get a 25% discount if you are a full-time student.

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Live at Lunch: The Royal Opera House

There are more than a few concert halls that I would like to introduce, but it may not be a good idea to include them all at once. That said, there is one more I need to include based on a money saving rationale – The Royal Opera House. Situated in Covent Garden, which is very close to LSE, The Royal Opera House offers Opera and Ballet Performance. Depending on how in advance tickets are booked, there are often reasonably priced tickets available, ranging from £5 to £15.

Moreover, if you want a break after lectures/ seminars in the morning, why not consider a free, live lunch concert at the Royal Opera House? You could take a look at the programme in advance to see which one(s) you fancy.

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Classical music in London has always been nurturing my everyday life. If you want to explore classical music, I encourage you to take this opportunity to open your heart and ears to different opportunities. Doing little things that you are interested in would put a smile on your face. It helps sustain your wellbeing and motivate your study for the long run.

Dr Jessica Kong

Warden, LSE Passfield Hall