The Performers of Morley Festival 2026 has officially concluded with five packed weeks of diverse music, dance and sound performances, masterclasses and Penny Lectures at Morley College London’s Waterloo Centre for Adult Education. The programme unfolded in Morley’s newly modernised Emma Cons Hall , alongside pop‑up events across Waterloo.
Captivating Penny Lectures
Honouring a Morley tradition dating back to 1882, the festival’s four Penny Lectures attracted packed audiences were treated to captivating talks:
Jack Chesher, author and creator of Living London History, explored London curiosities and history.
Angela Rippon shared her lifelong passion for dance, from her 1976 Morecambe and Wise cameo to creating the Let’s Dance movement.
Johnny Harris, BAFTA‑nominated actor and Morley alumnus, offered a superb screen‑acting masterclass.
Tim Benzie presented his show It’s a Mystery!, a heartfelt look at why murder mysteries continue to captivate audiences.
Music and Performance
The festival featured an extensive mix of music genres and incredible performance such as:
Morley Chamber Orchestra in concert, performing works by Mozart and Mendelssohn.
Morley’s Advanced Chamber Orchestra featured a range of women composers.
A series of free lunchtime classical music concerts.
A show-stopping celebration of jazz at Morley with the Morley Big Band and tutors’ ensembles electrifying the Emma Cons Hall.
A riveting jazz dance performance presented by Body of People (BOP) alongside a ragtime show by Morley dance tutors.
Selfish Jean, Morley’s first rock band.
A surreal sound art performance of I Am Sitting in a Hall inside the restored Emma Cons Hall.
Piano duets performed at the Waterloo Station.
A beautiful anyone can sing choir performance at Elephant Park.
Love, Death and Cabaret – Opera Arias.
Learning at the Festival: Masterclasses and Workshops
Artist‑led sessions gave attendees the chance to develop their creative practice: a piano masterclass led by Nikos Stavlas; sessions on the fundamentals of Jazz and Rhythmic Awareness with Flavio Di Ligni; and a DJ workshop by Sterling (Femi Akinyemi).
The festival closed in dramatic style, with Opera scenes performed by the talented Morley Opera School, featuring stories of ghostly themes from different authors.
Thank you for your support
It was wonderful to welcome many new visitors to Morley. Thank you to everyone who came to hear, see, enjoy and participate in the festival.
Our sincere thanks for the tremendous work and dedication of the performers, students, tutors, volunteers, Morley Radio, AV, lighting, estates, reception and administration teams who together created magical festival experiences for our audiences and performers.
Find your passion at Morley
The festival spotlighted Morley’s longstanding role as a brilliant training ground for performers at every stage, beginners, returning learners and seasoned professionals.
Whether you would like to return to an activity you once enjoyed, or would like to discover something new, we hope the festival can inspire a new learning journey with us. With over 1000 courses on offer, and new short courses starting in April, we look forward to welcoming you back to Morley very soon!
