The 40th Spitalfields Music Winter Festival opens on Sunday in London’s East End with a mix of Early music, classical Bach, jazz, Swing—and even opera for babies.

East London Advertiser: Troupe Collective perform at Spitalfields Winter Festival on Sunday, December 4, at Brady Arts centre [photos: James Berry]Troupe Collective perform at Spitalfields Winter Festival on Sunday, December 4, at Brady Arts centre [photos: James Berry] (Image: James Berry)

The week-long extravaganza running till December 11 includes Troupe Collective opening the festival on Sunday with The Empty Chair, at Whitechapel’s Brady Arts centre—a family adventure suitable for ages seven upwards, exploring loss, change and friendship through music, poetry and on-stage sound effects.

Music includes pieces by Couperin, Beethoven, Berio, Moondog, Meredith Monk as well as Troupe Collective itself.

Young musicians from Tower Hamlets’ council’s Thames Big Band perform with Hackney Creative jazz ensemble a free evening of jazz and Swing classics at Shoreditch Church on December 8.

The Musical Rumpus opera series for babies and toddlers is back this year with Catch a Sea Star at Brady Arts next Friday and Saturday (December 9 and 10)—an interactive adventure for ages 0 to 2½, featuring “magical music” by JS Bach.

LISTINGS

Sun Dec 4

2pm Troupe: The Empty Chair, Brady Arts centre

4.30pm Troupe: The Empty Chair, Brady Arts & Community Centre

7.30pm Gothic Voices: Tower of London, Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

Mon Dec 5

7pm The Sixteen, Shoreditch Town Hall

7pm The Dead Poets Social Club, venue confirmed on booking

Tues Dec 6

6.15pm May Contain Food: Protein, Shoreditch Town Hall

7pm Melvyn Tan, Shoreditch Church

8.30pm May Contain Food: Protein, Shoreditch Town Hall, Assembly Hall

Wed Dec 7

7pm The English Concert: Shakespeare in Love, Shoreditch Church

Thurs Dec 8

7pm Platform: Jazz Generation, Shoreditch Church

7.30pm Sound House, The Octagon

Fri Dec 9

10.30am Musical Rumpus: Catch a Sea Star, Brady Arts

12.30pm Musical Rumpus: Catch a Sea Star, Brady Arts

8pm Carnatic Connections, Rich Mix

Sat Dec 10

10.30am Musical Rumpus: Catch a Sea Star, Brady Arts

12.30pm Musical Rumpus: Catch a Sea Star, Brady Arts

6.30pm Disappearing Dining Club: Masonic Temple, Andaz Hotel

7pm Siglo de Oro, Shoreditch Church

Sun Dec 11

12noon Disappearing Dining Club, Masonic Temple, Andaz Hotel

2.30pm Disappearing Dining Club, Masonic Temple, Andaz Hotel

2.30pm B Minor Mass (Solomon’s Knot), Shoreditch Town Hall

6pm Disappearing Dining Club, Masonic Temple, Andaz Hotel

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VENUES

Brady Arts: 192-96 Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, E1 5HU

Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula: Tower of London, EC3N 4AB (main gate)

The Octagon, Queen Mary University: 327-29 Mile End Road, Mile End, E1 4NS

Masonic Temple, Andaz Hotel: 40 Liverpool Street, City, EC2M 7QN

Rich Mix Arts: 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green, E1 6LA

Shoreditch Church (St Leonard’s): Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JN

Shoreditch Town Hall: 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT

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