News

Many congratulations to Festival artists Britten Sinfonia and pianist Steven Osbourne, who won prestigious accolades at the Royal Philharmonic Society Music awards last week. Britten Sinfonia was awarded the coveted Ensemble award, and Steven Osbourne took the Instrumentalist award. Both of these award-winning artists can be seen as part of this year's City of London Festival – tickets are selling fast for Britten Sinfonia, presenting a stunning programme of Stravinsky, Vivaldi and Britten at Mansion House on Thursday 27 June at 7:30pm, and Steven Osbourne accompanies violinist Alina Ibragimova in their sell-out performance at Goldsmiths' Hall on Tuesday 9 July at 7.30pm.

The City of London Festival today announced the appointment of Paul Gudgin to succeed Ian Ritchie as Festival Director.

Paul’s expertise spans all corners of the festivals world. He was appointed Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in April 1999, where he oversaw a considerable expansion and international growth, with ticket sales doubling from 800,000 to 1.6 million during his eight year tenure. Following his time at the Fringe, Paul went on to establish his own consultancy working on a wide range of festival projects internationally with organisations such as the British Council, the Australian Centre for Event Management, Ontario Arts Council and Events Tasmania. Previously, Paul has also held posts at the Aldeburgh Festival and the Bury St Edmunds Festival where, over five years, he extended the event from a small cluster of productions into a busy sixteen-day festival described by The Times as “one of the best small Festivals in Britain” and one of the regions’ cultural highlights.

Paul Gudgin said:

“It is a real privilege to be a part of this great festival, which annually reflects on the extraordinary history, architecture, people and ambition of this city. I am excited to be given the opportunity to develop a vision to take the Festival into the future.” “As we explore the numerous possibilities offered by the post-Olympic cultural legacy there has never been a better time to build on the potential offered by the Festival’s incredible 50 year history to showcase the very best that the City has to offer.”

The 2013 Festival - Director Ian Ritchie’s final edition after eight years at the helm – takes place between 23 June to 26 July and will offer another entertaining, innovative and thought-provoking programme reflecting on the ideas of war and peace and also the theme of trees. The creation of major projects and new works has been inspired by significant anniversaries, notably the 400-year relationship between the City of London and Derry~Londonderry and the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht; and the Festival also celebrates the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten – one of Britain’s most important composers. For further information please visit our what's on page here.

Image credit: Paul Gudgin at Grange St Paul's Sky Bar

We are looking for bright and enthusiastic individuals to volunteer as stewards for the City of London Festival 2013. As a volunteer steward you get fantastic opportunities to enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor performances, including dance, classical and contemporary music, walks and tours. You’ll also have a chance to get a sneak peek into some of the City’s most beautiful and unique venues that are usually closed to the public. The shifts are flexible and can suit your availability.

If this sounds like an opportunity that you don’t want to miss, please contact Kathryn on 020 7583 3585 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 17 May 2013.

Friday 28 and Saturday 29 June – Mansion House

As part of the 2013 programme, we are delighted to announce the Worlds in Collision conference, in partnership with The Musical Brain.

Placed at the heart of the Festival – and the City itself – this two-day conference will address a number of important questions. What is the relationship between art and war? How are emotional experiences reflected in music and poetry? Is human creativity itself therapeutic?  The event brings together musicians, music therapists, arts practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, philosophers, historians and soldiers to examine these important questions that are central themes to this years City of London Festival programme.

The conference falls naturally into two inter-related parts, over two days:

Friday 28 June - The Application of Music to the Trauma of War considers Music Therapy and its use in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other disorders as a result of conflict. The day will also address the potential application of music in the rehabilitation of returning troops from the current theatres of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with their attendant PTSD problems.

Saturday 29 June - The Response of Music to the Experience of War examines music and creativity from the other direction, through artistic works that have been influenced by the pity of war, before concluding with a concert by military band and solo singers in the Mansion House’s glorious Egyptian Hall at 6.00pm (this event is also open to the general public)

Booking opens for the conference on Tuesday 12 March (visit www.themusicalbrain.org or call 020 8404 1327 to book) ahead of the full Festival programme on Tuesday 11 April (tickets available here).

The City of London Festival begins its next half century after a hugely successful 2012 season, which saw record audiences attend our Golden Jubilee events. Festival Director Ian Ritchie, recently awarded for his 'imaginatively themed festival programmes' (Evening Standard), has curated a 2013 Festival that promises to excite, in what will be his final Festival after eight years at the helm. Read more about the 2013 Festival themes by clicking here.

Booking opens for the full programme on Thursday 11 April, with priority booking for Festival Friends from Thursday 4 April. Click here to find out how to become a Friend.

If you can't wait until then, visit our Book Now page to book your tickets for some of the summer's highlight performances.

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The Festival Education team is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers.

The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers have kindly offered to donate a pair of fruit trees to three schools who they feel have best responded to the theme “A Forest in the City – Fruit Trees” as part of the Festival Children’s Parade on Friday 28 June 2013. This is an exciting chance to win some very special trees to be planted at your school so we’ve decided to open applications early for the Parade – download your application form here.

The procession itself will weave through City streets and feature forest-inspired artworks, costumes and banners, with a centrepiece project involving a number of local schools and artist-led workshops using tons of the City's recyclable waste.

On 27 November, Festival Patrons enjoyed a special evening at Gresham College with the Brodsky Quartet's Paul Cassidy.

Paul talked about a new song cycle which the Brodskys will première at next year's Festival with the mezzo-soprano Loré Lixenberg, before taking it to other walled cities including Derry~Londonderry, Utrecht and Jerusalem. The concert will take place at Drapers' Hall on 24 June.

Trees, Walls and Cities will feature songs by local composers and poets, brought together in a suite composed by the international humanitarian, Nigel Osborne.

If you weren't lucky enough to see the amazing violinist Alina Ibragimova in the Festival this summer, you’ll be delighted to hear that there is another chance to see her perform at our 2013 Festival.

Following her sell-out concert with the OAE at Mansion House this summer, Alina, accompanied by the gifted pianist Steven Osborne, will play a programme including works by Prokofiev and Arvo Pärt (9 July, Goldsmiths' Hall).

In a recent feature about Alina in The Guardian, her playing was described as ‘compulsive’ and ‘electrifying’.