Music at St Mary’s

‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord’

At St Mary’s we take great joy in giving God glory through the gift of music. Whether that be in our sung worship led by our choir and band, in our monthly Free Friday Recitals, or in our special services and concerts, which see musicians from the local area gather together to share their gifts.

Are you a keen singer or instrumentalist interested in joining our music ministry? Please contact Tom, our Music Director on 020 7226 3400, or at tom.jesty@stmaryislington.org

Free Friday Recitals at St Mary’s

Following the success of the Free Friday Lunchtime Recitals held throughout 2024, St Mary’s Church is delighted to announce the continuation of the programme in 2025. Over 1,000 people attended the 12 free recitals in 2024 and were treated to high quality classical performances by early career professionals. The series showcased a diverse repertoire, from the early classicism of Quantz, to contemporary music by Caroline Lizotte, including performances by pianists, guitarists, saxophonists, and harpists.

The concerts will take place on the third Friday of every month at St Mary’s Church, Upper Street at 1.15pm. The concerts are free and you do not need a ticket. Free hot drinks and cake served from 12.45pm.

The Free Friday lunchtime Recitals at St Mary's have been made possible by the legacy gift of Denise Antenen and generous donations from members of St Mary's congregation.

Our free concert will take place during St Mary’s Festival, on Friday 19 September 2025.
Join Leora Cohen and be delighted by high quality classical performance in our beautiful church.
Here is Leora Cohen’s bio.
Find out more here
Lucinda and Tom will present a programme drawn from the vast repertory of songs inspired by nature, water, and the sky. They will perform texts about nightingales, blackbirds, swallows, and the stars. You will also hear songs addressed to daisies and daffodils, songs describing gardeners and roses, and depictions of the blustery outdoors. The composers represented include Maude Valerie White, Caroline Maude and Amy Beach, as well as Benjamin Britten, Michael Head, and living composers James Ottaway and Piers Connor Kennedy.
See Lucy and Tom in action here - The Last Rose of Summer | Benjamin Britten realisation - YouTube and here Caroline Maude - Magdalen - YouTube.
Lucinda and Tom’s bio is linked here.