BMW Classics in London: free concert on 13 June
BMW Classics returns to Trafalgar Square on Saturday 13 June 2026, bringing the London Symphony Orchestra’s free outdoor summer concert back to the centre of London.
The concert runs from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN. Entry is free, no ticket is required, and gates are due to open from 2.45pm for the 4pm start.
Conducted by LSO Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, the programme is aimed at the general public and suits anyone who wants to hear large-scale orchestral music in an open-air London setting without a booked seat or paid ticket.
Date, venue and entry details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | BMW Classics 2026 |
| Date | Saturday 13 June 2026 |
| Time | 4:00pm to 5:30pm |
| Venue | Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN |
| Cost | Free |
| Entry | No ticket required; gates open from 2.45pm |
| Organiser | London Symphony Orchestra |
BMW Classics is the London Symphony Orchestra’s free outdoor summer concert in Trafalgar Square. The 2026 edition places major British orchestral works at the centre of the afternoon, with Holst and Elgar joined by a new commission written for the event.
Holst, Elgar and a new London commission
Sir Antonio Pappano will lead selected highlights connected to the LSO’s long association with Gustav Holst’s The Planets and Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
The Trafalgar Square audience and online listeners are due to hear five movements from The Planets: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Uranus. The concert forms part of the LSO’s wider 2026 and 2027 celebration of Holst’s astrological-inspired suite, with BMW Classics described in the source material as the project’s largest live-performance moment.
At the centre of the concert is the world premiere of Louise Drewett’s Four Dances, a new work specially commissioned for BMW Classics. Written for a mixed-ability orchestra, it brings together LSO musicians, Guildhall School students and 55 young musicians from east London through the LSO Discovery programmes.
The four dances are inspired by London public spaces: the Queen’s Walk near London Bridge, Columbia Wharf in Rotherhithe, South Dock on the Isle of Dogs, and Greenwich Pier in Maritime Greenwich.
For the finale, the orchestra will perform excerpts from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The LSO’s connection with Elgar reaches back to its foundation in 1904, when the composer conducted the orchestra during its inaugural season and later served as its second Principal Conductor.
Getting to Trafalgar Square
The event is designed around public access in central London, and Trafalgar Square is served by buses, the Tube and national rail.
Charing Cross is the nearest railway station, around 325 metres from Trafalgar Square, approximately a three-minute walk. The source information says Charing Cross rail station offers step-free access and a step-free route to Trafalgar Square.
For the Underground, Charing Cross is the closest Tube station and is served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines, but it does not have step-free access. Westminster Station is the nearest Underground station with step-free access from platform to street level. It is served by the Jubilee, District and Circle lines and is around a 10-minute walk from Trafalgar Square.
Bus routes stopping close to Trafalgar Square include 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 15, 23, 87, 88, 91, 139 and 176. Most buses have wheelchair access, according to the event information.
Accessibility and parking notes
The surrounding area is expected to be busy on the day of the concert, and the event information recommends public transport for visitors where possible.
For people who cannot use public transport for accessibility reasons, Blue Badge parking is available on St Martin’s Street, next to the National Gallery. The source lists three designated Blue Badge parking bays there and notes that the spaces are around 250 metres from the National Gallery.
Westminster Parking Information Service can provide more information on parking on 020 7823 4567. The helpline is open Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 8pm. Visitors looking for other nearby Blue Badge bays can use the City of Westminster website with the postcode WC2N 5DN.
Source: London City Hall Events
Context & actions About this article
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This preview is based on the published London City Hall event information for BMW Classics 2026.
- Confirmed the event date, time, venue and free entry status from the source text.
- Checked that no ticket is required and that gates are listed as opening from 2.45pm.
- Kept transport and accessibility details to the stations, bus routes and parking notes pro...
- Used only the listed programme details for Holst, Elgar and Louise Drewett’s Four Dances.
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- London City Hall Events
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- London
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- 2026-06-11 16:01
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