Ronnie Scott’s to open new live music venueand launch weekly classical series every Monday
Upstairs at Ronnie’s to reopen in February 2026 with a dedicated classical strand curated by violinist,
vocalist and concert producer Lizzie Ball and James Pearson, Artistic Director of Ronnie Scott’s
London, September 18, 2025. Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club today announces the February 2026 opening of Upstairs at Ronnie’s, a newly reimagined 140-capacity music venue on the first floor of the world-famous Soho institution. The launch includes the club’s first-ever regular weekly classical night, taking place evey Monday with an early and late showing, as part of a packed schedule of programming, which will run seven days a week.
Curated jointly by violinist, vocalist and producer, Lizzie Ball and Ronnie Scott’s Artistic Director and pianist, James Pearson, the new Monday classical series at Upstairs at Ronnie’s will be built around three distinctive strands.
Building on the success of his long-running Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, James Pearson has created a brand-new classical counterpart for Upstairs at Ronnie’s. The Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars is a seven-piece ensemble musically directed by pianist James Pearson and made up of some of the UK’s leading musicians including Lizzie Ball and Shlomy Dobrinsky (violin); Megan Cassidy(viola); Gabriella Swallow (cello); Jon Shenoy (clarinet/flute/saxophone); Callum Au (trombone/horn) and James Turner(percussion). Together they will reimagine orchestral and symphonic favourites and iconic repertoire for a chamber-sized ensemble, bringing the same spirit of virtuosity, flair and storytelling that has made the jazz All Stars a cornerstone of the club’s identity. Programmes will include Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (marking 100 years since its UK premiere), alongside arrangements of Copeland and Bernstein (9 February); Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (2 March); Cinematic Sounds’ Part I with reimagined scores from Hollywood’s Golden Age (16 March); and Cinematic Sounds Part II, with music by Quincy Jones, John Barry, Michel Legrand, Ennio Morricone and John Williams (13 April).
Classical Kicks, Lizzie Ball’s acclaimed project and the first classical night ever staged at Ronnie Scott’s (2012-2019), makes its much-anticipated return. The all-star line-up of Classical Kicks collaborators includes cellist Gabriella Swallow, accordionist Miloš Milivojević, and percussionist James Turner, alongside special guests, performing music from Piazzolla, Bartók, Gershwin, and more.
Close Up Classical offers audiences intimate evenings of music and conversation with leading actors, musicians, and cultural figures. Guests include actress Juliet Stevenson (23 February), film composer David Arnold (9 March) and Harriet Constable, best-selling author of The Instrumentalist (23 March). Joined by Lizzie Ball, James Pearson and members of the Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars, each evening explores the music that has shaped their lives in a personal and informal setting.
Special events include:
Her Ensemble, the UK’s first women and non-binary orchestra, directed by Ellie Consta, with cellist Laura van der Heijdenand pianist Junyan Chen, performing a programme celebrating female composers for International Women’s Day month (30 March).
Chineke! residency (6 April), launching with a string quartet programme featuring William Grant Still’s String Quartet and Dvořák’s American Quartet. This is the first of four concerts in the year-long residency.
#UriPosteJukeBox (20 April), the award-winning project created by violinist Elena Urioste and pianist Tom Poster, blending classical repertoire with their own innovative programmes.
The King’s Singers (27 April), the GRAMMY Award-winning vocal ensemble celebrate over 55 years on stage and make their Ronnie Scott’s debut with Let’s Misbehave, a cabaret-style celebration of jazz and popular song with specially arranged works by Jacob Collier, Randy Newman, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and more.
The upstairs space, which hosted a vibrant live programme before closing in 2024, has undergone a complete transformation as part of a major revamp of the entire building. Now purpose-built as an intimate auditorium, it combines a new design, upgraded stage, Yamaha S3X grand piano, enhanced acoustics, high-spec Yamaha and D&B Audio systems, and a state-of-the-art kitchen overseen by newly appointed executive chef Steven Connolly. The result is a space equally suited to chamber ensembles, solo recitals and early music groups as well as cross-genre collaborations.
While maintaining Ronnie Scott’s reputation as the UK’s leading independent jazz venue, the new programming marks an expansion of scope. Upstairs will present world-class classical performances, alongside soul, R&B, gospel, hip-hop, global music and jazz. Upstairs at Ronnie’s will also host its own version of the celebrated Ronnie Scott’s Late Late Show, providing more opportunities to showcase emerging grassroots talent at a range of ticket prices to keep shows accessible to all.
For the first time in its history, Ronnie Scott’s will also open its backstage areas to the public. Transformed into The Greene Rooms – named in honour of owner Sally Greene – a brand new “club within a club” will serve as a members’ lounge and artist space for gatherings, meet-and-greets, workshops and exclusive events.
This redevelopment marks the most significant transformation of Ronnie Scott’s since its 2005 acquisition and reopening by Sally Greene and Michael Watt. It comes at a critical moment for the UK live music sector, with the Music Venue Trust reporting that 16% of grassroots venues closed in 2023 and over 40% operating at a loss. Against this backdrop, the redevelopments demonstrate Ronnie Scott’s commitment to sustaining the UK’s live music scene.
Co-directors of Ronnie Scott’s Classical, Lizzie Ball and James Pearson, commented: “Our vision is to create a classical series that feels as alive and accessible as Ronnie’s itself. We want to showcase the very best chamber and solo music, reimagine orchestral favourites for an intimate setting, and collaborate with leading artists across genres. Bringing classical music into a venue best known for jazz opens it up to new audiences, and the energy of a jazz club combined with classical performance is something truly unique. Ronnie’s has always been about world-class music, and the club has deep classical connections, from John Williams and Nigel Kennedy to Hendrix’s last gig, so classical is a natural fit here. We hope Ronnie would be proud of this new venture, which is very much in the spirit of the club: you never know who you’ll see”
Managing Director of Ronnie Scott’s, Fred Nash, said: “Our investment in Upstairs at Ronnie’s was always about wanting to create the best small venue in the world. For classical music, that means intimacy, detail, and an environment where musicians and audiences can connect. This new series is a natural evolution for the club, and one we believe will bring classical music to new audiences. Presenting classical music in a jazz club setting creates a personal experience that feels both unpretentious and welcoming.
With its 65-year legacy, Ronnie Scott’s now embarks on a new chapter: bringing chamber music, recital, and experimental classical projects into the very heart of Soho’s cultural life.
Show times
Each show will be performed twice at 6.30pm (doors open 5pm) and 9.30pm (doors open 8.45pm).
Tickets
Tickets start from £35.