Highlights include:
- Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars, the venue’s resident ensemble led by Ronnie Scott’s Classical Co-Directors James Pearson and Lizzie Ball, return with new chamber-scale programmes reimagining orchestral and classical favourites
- Leon Bosch and the Ubuntu Ensemble mark the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising
- Internationally acclaimed oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros in a rare London appearance
- GS X 2: Gabriella Swallow & Giacomo Smith present a show inspired by Don Shirley
- Chineke! Presents Rebeha Reid’s solo set combining virtuosic violin performance with live looping and electronics
- James Pearson and Anthony Kerr reimagine the music of Bach
- Jasdeep Singh Degun, Royal Philharmonic Society Award-winning sitar virtuoso, in performance with tabla
- Morgan Szymanski collaborates with Scottish sound artist Tommy Perman
- London Tango Quinetet brings the passionate rhythms of Argentine tango
- Cellophonics explores the sonic possibilities of four cellos
- Divas with Kirsty McLean and Patrick Milne, a programme celebrating iconic voices from opera and beyond
- Imogen Whitehead and Patrick Milne present a show for trumpet and flugelhorn, featuring a new work inspired by Miles Davis
Ronnie Scott’s today announces the May – July 2026 programme for Ronnie Scott’s Classical, the classical series at Upstairs at Ronnie’s, the newly reopened 140-capacity venue above the world-famous Soho club, running every Monday evening with two performances.
Curated jointly by violinist, vocalist and producer Lizzie Ball and Ronnie Scott’s Artistic Director James Pearson, the series brings chamber music, genre-crossing projects and world-class soloists into the intimate club setting of one of London’s most iconic music venues.
The programme is built around four strands: Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars, a resident seven-piece ensemble directed by pianist James Pearson; Classical Kicks, a relaxed evening exploring the space between classical music and jazz; Close-up Classical, where cultural figures share music close to their hearts; and a series of one-off events led by leading performers from across the arts which from May – July includes double bassist Leon Bosch, oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros, cellist Gabriella Swallow and clarinettist Giacomo Smith, violinist Rebekah Reid, guitarist Morgan Szymanski with sound artist Tommy Perman, trumpeter Imogen Whitehead, Cellophonics, and the London Tango Quartet,.
Since launching earlier this year, Ronnie Scott’s Classical has established itself as a distinctive new addition to London’s live music scene, presenting classical music in a relaxed club environment where audiences can eat, drink and experience performances at close range.
Co-directors of Ronnie Scott’s Classical, Lizzie Ball and James Pearson, commented: “This series was always designed to showcase the incredible diversity of classical music today. The May – July programme moves from Bach to tango, from South African commemorations to contemporary experimental work. Presenting classical music in a jazz club creates a completely different energy, intimate, spontaneous and alive, and that sense of connection between musicians and audience is at the heart of Ronnie Scott’s.”
Detailed Programme
Violinist Magnus Johnston is joined by soloists from the Royal Ballet & Opera Orchestra – Anna Blackmur (violin), Amelie Roussel (viola), Tessa Seymour (cello), and Matt Glendining (clarinet) – for an evening of operatic and classical favourites. Bringing together musicians from one of the UK’s leading orchestras, the programme includes Puccini’s Cristantemi, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and Quando Le Sera, Muzio’ from the Verdi Opera Luisa Miller, reimagined for the intimate club setting of Upstairs at Ronnie’s.
Renowned double bassist Leon Bosch is joined by the Ubuntu Ensemble – Gina McCormack (violin), Claudia Dehnke (violin), Louise Lansdown (viola), Tessa Uys (piano), Aristide Du Plessis (cello) – for a special programme marking the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising. Combining storytelling with music rooted in South African traditions and classical repertoire, the concert reflects on one of the defining moments of modern South African history through a powerful and moving musical tribute. Traditional protest songs such as Senzeni Na? resonate with historical gravity, while works by South African composers Bongani Ndodana-Breen, Mokale Koapeng, Monthati Masebe, Musa Nkuna and others, offer contemporary perspectives on memory, resistance, and healing.
Cellist Gabriella Swallow (member of the Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars, Gwilym Simcock Quintet and Jess Gillam Ensemble) and clarinettist Giacomo Smith (Kansas Smitty’s House Band) – each a genre-defying force in their own right – join creative forces to explore the rich, complex world of Don Shirley, the virtuoso pianist whose music transcended categorisation and whose story continues to resonate today. GS x 2 is both a tribute and a reimagining: a journey through Don Shirley’s unexpected textures, punctuated by moments of pure improvisational magic as Swallow and Smith interpret his legacy through cello, clarinet, and ensemble playing. They are joined by pianist Joe Webb and bassist Will Sach and explore music from Stravinsky to spirituals, Baroque to bebop, GS x 2 invites audiences to hear familiar sounds in unfamiliar ways.
Internationally acclaimed Oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros brings his distinctive musical voice to Ronnie Scott’s Classical. An eight-time ARIA Award winner, the Egyptian-born Australian takes the Oud – an Arabic lute and ancestor of the modern guitar – into new musical territories while remaining rooted in its 5,000-year-old tradition, blending Middle Eastern musical heritage with contemporary composition and improvisation. Tawadros has transformed the oud into a globally recognized instrument, performing in concert halls across the world as a soloist, in duo with his brother James on Egyptian percussion, with his jazz quartet, or alongside chamber and symphony orchestras.
Vibraphonist Anthony Kerr joins Ronnie Scott’s Artistic Director James Pearson for a special performance born from a shared love of Bach. Both versatile improvisers, Kerr and Pearson draw on Bach’s catalogue – music that continues to shape the foundations of Western tradition. In this programme, Baroque counterpoint meets jazz harmony and improvisation, revealing new colours and possibilities within these timeless works. Blending interpretation with spontanaeity, the duo reimagines Bach’s music through a contemporary lens. Highlights include Kerr’s arrangement of the Chaconne, alongside a reimagining of a movement from the Double Violin Concerto for vibraphone and piano.
Explore the possibilities of ‘Underground Classical Music’ with contemporary violinist, composer and loop pedal artist Rebekah Reid. Known for combining virtuosic violin performance with live looping and electronics, Rebekah’s compositional style is vibrant and versatile, blending influences from classical music and jazz with global folk music, electronic dance music and sounds from the black British diaspora. Presented by Chineke!, Rebekah’s solo performance spins multi-layered soundscapes from a single violin line, creating layered sound worlds that blur the boundary between composition and improvisation.
Following the release of his debut album Anomaly, sitar virtuoso Jasdeep Singh Degun has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary classical and cross-cultural music. A Royal Philharmonic Society Award winner, the first sitar player to receive the honour, Degun is joined by tabla player Himmet Bahra for a performance rooted in the classical traditions of North Indian music. Combining virtuosity with improvisation, the programme reflects his ongoing work to expand the sitar’s role within contemporary performance.
Soprano Kirsty McLean, who made her Royal Opera House debut in 2025, and pianist Patrick Milne, a répétiteur at the Royal Opera House, present Divas, a programme celebrating iconic voices from opera and beyond. The programme moves between operatic arias and crossover classics, spanning repertoire associated with artists including Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča, Shirley Bassey and Barbra Streisand. Works include excerpts from Bellini’s Norma, Bizet’s Carmen and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, alongside songs from film and popular repertoire.
The Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars return with Symphonic Sounds, featuring Lizzie Ball and Megan Cassidy. The programme brings together Baroque and Classical repertoire with a rare exploration of Bill Evans Trio’s collaboration with symphony orchestra, with selections including Granados and Time Remembered, performed by bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado. These sit alongside movements from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante.
Mexican classical guitarist Morgan Szymanski joins Scottish sound artist Tommy Perman for an atmospheric performance blending guitar, electronics and field recordings. Drawing on landscapes from rural Scotland to the mist forests of Valle de Bravo, Mexico, the programme features music from their latest album Songs of the Mist Forest – developed from a soundtrack to the documentary El Dragón de los Bosques de Niebla (The Dragon of the Mist Forest) – alongside selections from their critically acclaimed releases. Through 11 new compositions, the duo explore themes of environment, ecology and memory.
The London Tango Quintet – comprised of internationally acclaimed musicians David Juritz (violin), Craig Ogden (guitar), Miloš Milivojević (accordian), Richard Pryce (double bass) and David Gordon (piano) – brings the passionate rhythms of Argentine tango to life. Formed in 2007, the ensemble combines expertise across classical, jazz and film music. Featuring music by Astor Piazzolla alongside traditional repertoire, the quintet captures the drama, lyricism and energy of Buenos Aires’ iconic musical style.
Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars – Encounters with Gershwin and Grappelli (13 July)
The Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars present Encounters with Gershwin and Grappelli, a programme exploring the meeting point of classical and jazz through the music and influence of George Gershwin. Tracing connections across Paris, London and New York, it brings together works linked to composers including Ravel, Kreisler, Bernstein, Britten and Copland, alongside reflections on Gershwin’s legacy. James Pearson and Lizzie Ball are joined by bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado and drummer Matt Skelton.
Cellophonics – Benedict Rogerson, Tim Lowe, Ian Burdge and Christopher Allan – present a programme spanning music from the 16th and 17th centuries to the present day. Works by William Byrd and Henry Purcell sit alongside contemporary composers including Guy Barker, whose Wood on the Tracks forms the centrepiece. The programme also features Roderick Elms’ Divertimento, Simon Baggs’ Soliloquy, Edward Harris-Brown’s Not Now, Cato!, and music by Callum Au and Rowland Sutherland, combining historical repertoire with new arrangements and recent works for four cellos.
Trumpeter Imogen Whitehead and pianist Patrick Milne present a programme spanning George Gershwin, Florence Price and a new work inspired by Miles Davis, including Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me and I Got Rhythm alongside Price’s spiritual-inspired songs. Whitehead, Principal Trumpet of the Britten Sinfonia, is developing a distinctive solo profile centred on the flugelhorn, championing new repertoire and imaginative arrangements. Together with Milne, a pianist and répétiteur at the Royal Opera House, she explores a programme that highlights the expressive range of both trumpet and flugelhorn.
Show times
Each show will be performed twice at 6.20pm (doors 5pm) and 9.30pm (doors 8.45pm), unless otherwise stated. Tickets and full programme details are available at ronniescotts.co.uk
Tickets
Tickets start from £35.
