What we do
We bring great live music to the local community.
The Coulsdon Music programme has four strands, each offering a different but equally important kind of musical experience.
MIXTAPE
Our flagship concert series
INSPIRE
Workshops with budding musicians, young instrumentalists and seasoned amateurs
WRIGGLE & JUMP
Specially curated concerts for kids, babies and their grown-ups
CONNECT
Musical encounters built for community spaces
MIXTAPE Concerts
Our flagship concert series brings imaginative, superbly performed programmes to St John's Church.
Each MIXTAPE concert is built around a single idea, with pieces spanning genres and centuries, all flowing seamlessly into one another.
Bringing together some of the country’s finest musicians, these concerts are a chance to hear fabulous performances in a friendly and laid-back environment.
INSPIRE Education
Coulsdon Music’s educational programme puts live classical music at the centre of creative work in local schools.
In primary classrooms, children listen to live performances by professional musicians and create original stories in response. Led by the children's imaginative responses, the sessions help them to develop both an understanding and ownership of music. At the end of each project, the pupils come together for a cross-school concert where they share their stories alongside the performers.
Between 2018 and 2020 the Florian Ensemble ran this project across ten schools in East Cornwall, reaching over 300 children—and you can read some of their fantastic stories here. In 2026–27, it’s coming to Coulsdon!
The Florian Ensemble also provides coaching sessions for instrumentalists in the community: working with young string players on chamber music in partnership with Croydon Music and Arts, and come-and-play events welcoming amateur musicians of all levels.
WRIGGLE & JUMP Families
Live music for small people and their grown-ups!
WRIGGLE is 40 minutes of specially chosen music in a relaxed, welcoming space, followed by tea and a chance to connect with other parents and carers. Aimed at children up to 4 years old.
JUMP is a full interactive concert experience: live music that moves! These Introduce young people to a range of music in an accessible and engaging way. Previous JUMP concerts have featured strings, piano, accordion and a great deal of enthusiasm.
Both events are designed to reward listeners of all ages, making great live music accessible for people and families whose schedules may not suit more conventional concert performances.
CONNECT Community
CONNECT brings the Florian Ensemble and guests into the everyday spaces of Coulsdon.
Informal pop-up performances in cafes and local businesses, as well as participatory sessions with care home residents.