In the mid-1990s, the London Symphony Orchestra began searching for a new space to house our expanding education and community programme. An ideal venue was found in St Luke’s – a then derelict shell of an 18th-century church – just a short walk from our Barbican home. When restorations began in 1996, the building had no roof, a collapsing crypt and plants growing through the walls. Six years later, the scaffolding was removed to reveal a modern performance and education centre, with historic details tastefully preserved.
Twenty years on LSO St Luke’s is home to a huge variety of creative activity. From here, our learning and community programme, LSO Discovery, hosts participative groups and projects for local residents and workshops for early-career composers and performers. There’s a full schedule of concerts and events, including those produced by LSO Discovery, and in collaboration with a range of artistic and community partners. And when the doors are closed, the Orchestra may be mid-rehearsal or recording session.
Through all of this activity we hope to fulfil a vision for LSO St Luke’s as a hub for musical creativity, learning and performance, enabling artists and music creators of all ages and abilities to have a place to explore, experiment and be inspired by the incredible space to fulfil their own musical ambitions. A venue for the local community as well as a stage for artists of international standing, our hope is that the next two decades at LSO St Luke’s will be even more vibrant and enriching than the first.
This article was originally published in the LSO St Luke’s What’s On January to March 2023 Guide
