Announcing Summer Evening courses for 2026
Explore a new skill by booking an evening course at Guildhall School.
Our programme of Summer Evening courses covers music, drama, writing and more.
The courses are for participants aged 18 and over, and run on weekday evenings for up to eight weeks from Tuesday 21 April.
Our in-person courses take place across Guildhall School's campus in central London, which includes the state-of-the-art venue Milton Court and our iconic Silk Street building. Alternatively, join us from wherever you are in the world via our online short courses.
Summer Evening courses include:
In-person
- Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 1 and Level 2
- Improvisation: Level 1
- Writing for Screen: Level 1
- Interpreting Shakespeare: A Modern Retrospective
- Singing for Beginners
- Writing for an Orchestra: Beginners
Online
- Writing for an Orchestra: Intermediate
- Film Music Composition: Intermediate
- Music Production in Logic Pro: Beginners
- Music Performance in Ableton Live
- Developing a Marketing Strategy in the Arts
Further details and fees can be found on the course pages.
Bookings
Join the Short Courses mailing list before Friday 13 February to receive priority booking.
Bookings close at 5pm on Friday 17 April 2026 or when the course reaches full capacity.
In-person Summer Evening courses
The following courses take place in-person at Guildhall School:
Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 1
Course 1
Tuesdays, 7–9pm*, 21 April – 26 May 2026
*The final session on 26 May will last 2.5 hours.
Course 2
Wednesdays, 7–9pm*, 22 April – 27 May 2026
*The final session on 27 May will last 2.5 hours.
Ages 18+
This course for beginners exploring what 'good acting' might be and how to achieve it. During the six sessions you will work with the course tutor to develop truthfulness and connection to text.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 2
Course 1
Tuesdays, 7–9pm*, 21 April – 9 June 2026
*The final session on 9 June will last 2.5 hours.
Course 2
Wednesdays, 7–9pm*, 22 April – 10 June 2026
*The final session on 10 June will last 2.5 hours.
Ages 18+
This eight-week evening course will help you to further develop your work and grow as an actor. You will focus on building your confidence through regular scene rehearsals and group sharing and will develop new ways to approach characters and connect to text, all within a small and supportive ensemble.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Improvisation: Level 1
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 April – 26 May 2026
Ages 18+
Join this exciting six-week evening course for enjoyable and confidence-boosting evenings of comedy and drama improvisation. Meet and learn with like-minded people, brighten up your week, and develop valuable skills in creative thinking, teamwork and storytelling, all in a relaxed and supportive setting.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Interpreting Shakespeare: A Modern Retrospective
Wednesdays, 7–9pm, 22 Apr – 27 May 2026
Ages 18+
This six-week evening course will explore how the brilliant works of Shakespeare still inform our understanding of the world today.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Writing for an Orchestra: Beginners
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 April – 26 May 2026
Ages 18+
The course also includes a 20-30min one-to-one session with the course tutor online (dates and timings to be confirmed during the course).
Further details can be found on the course page.
Singing for Beginners
Wednesdays, 7pm–8.45pm, 22 April – 10 June 2026
Ages 18+
This eight-week evening course for beginners will introduce you to singing, including and a number of techniques and exercises that will help to build confidence while improving your voice.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 2
Wednesdays, 7pm-9pm*, 22 April – 10** June 2026
*The session on 10 June will take place online.
*The session on 27 May will last 2.5 hours.
Ages 18+
This eight-week course is for any writer who has made a start on an idea (from a synopsis to a first draft) and the focus will be on developing and redrafting this piece.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Writing for Screen: Level 1
Tuesdays, 7pm–9pm*, 21 April – 9 June 2026
*The session on 2 June will last 2.5 hours.
Ages 18+
This eight-week evening course will develop your creative writing skills and provide you with inspiration to translate an idea into a screenplay. The course, which will be led by writer and actor Emma Dennis-Edwards, will focus on the techniques required for screenwriting for Film and TV.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Online Summer Evening courses
The following courses take place over Zoom:
Writing for an Orchestra: Intermediate
Wednesdays, 6.30pm–8.30pm, BST (UTC+1), 22 April – 27 May 2026
Ages 18+
This six-week online evening course will provide you with the tools to approach orchestration with confidence, whether you are interested in transforming a piano piece into an orchestral tapestry, or in composing your own symphonic opus.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Film Music Composition: Intermediate
Tuesdays, 6.30pm–8.30pm, BST (UTC+1), 21 April – 26 May 2026
Ages 18+
This six-week online course will develop your skills in writing, producing and mixing electronic and orchestral music for a wide range of film genres, including horror/sci-fi, animation, action and commercials.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Music Production in Logic Pro: Beginners
Tuesdays, 6.30pm–8.30pm, BST (UTC+1), 21 April – 26 May 2026
Ages 18+
This six-week online course for beginners will cover the key techniques of digital music production, from audio and MIDI editing to recording, sound synthesis, and audio FX.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Music Performance in Ableton Live
Tuesdays, 6.45pm-8.45pm, BST (UTC+1), 21 April – 26 May 2026
Ages 18+
This six-week online course will help demystify the process of building a custom live electronic music performance system that is based around use of Ableton Live. You will explore the various hardware and software options to enable live sequencing, arrangement, sound design and mixing. You will be encouraged to design and build your own bespoke setup, with opportunities for tailored feedback.
Further details can be found on the course page.
Developing a Marketing Strategy in the Arts
Wednesdays, 7.15pm–8.45pm, BST (UTC+1), 22 April – 27 May 2026
Ages 18+
This online evening course will provide an in-depth introduction to marketing strategy in arts and cultural organisations, exploring why thoughtful, big-picture marketing is essential for long-term success.
Further details can be found on the course page.
