Sound Unbound, Barbican and Culture Mile

At Sound Unbound enjoy two days of classical music from the medieval era to the present day, absolutely free, at venues across the City.

The Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Academy of Ancient Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama have combined forces for this Culture Mile event. Culture Mile stretches from Farringdon to Moorgate in the north-west of the Square Mile.

Boundaries between classical music and contemporary, experimental music and jazz are forgotten in the two-day event, with multiple concerts taking place simultaneously, Each festival-goer will be able to pick and choose from a vast range of performances and create their own unique version of Sound Unbound.

Music takes to the streets of the City in Sound Unbound

The festival features more than 70 short concerts, all suitable for families. Venues range from medieval St Bartholomew the Great church, star of many movies, to the brutalist Barbican Centre, from Fabric nightclub to ancient Charterhouse.

Artists include classical guitarist Miloš, whose repertoire ranges from Rodrigo to Beatles, the Britten Sinfonia and Thomas Adès performing one of Beethoven’s most popular works, the Eroica symphony, and Wave Ensemble and the Academy of Ancient Music playing Bach in new arrangements for two marimbas and orchestra.

Peter Dijkstra conducts the versatile BBC Singers in choral music through the ages, while Gabriel Prokofiev and Nonclassical host a DJ club night, Nonclassical @ fabric. Belgian electric guitar quartet Zwerm perform Renaissance music and, with New York-based electric guitar quartet Dither, Steve Reich’s ever-popular Electric Counterpoint.

Chineke! orchestra performs free at the Barbican during Sound Unbound 2019

The London Symphony Chorus presents Orff’s classic Carmina Burana, Chineke! Orchestra plays music by Britten and Holst, and Street Orchestra Live gives pop-up performances throughout the festival.

Stalin’s Piano by Australian composer Robert Davidson combines music with video and audio recordings of eminent artists and political figures from Le Corbusier to Shostakovich, Jackson Pollock to Ai Wei Wei, and Julia Gillard to Donald Trump.

This is the third Sound Unbound, after successes in 2015 and 2017, and it a great way to try out music outside your comfort zone – at no cost! With short, daytime events, it's perfect for youngsters too Click here for the full programme, and curate your own festival.