A 16-piece chamber orchestra plays music from favourite Christmas films alongside traditional festive classics in two evening sessions at St Albans Cathedral.
The Christmas Orchestra returns to St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 28 November, their third year in a row after selling out in 2024 and 2025. It's a 16-piece chamber orchestra playing live, with sound and lighting to go with it, and they're taking the stage inside the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. The cathedral is a shrine to Britain's first saint, Alban, and its musical life runs deep: the organ dates from 1962, and the eleventh-century tower holds bells that ring across the city. Beside its religious life, it hosts concerts, talks, exhibitions and tours throughout the year.
The set leans on uplifting nostalgia, drawing from favourite Christmas films alongside traditional festive classics. You'll hear music from Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, Muppets' A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker, Harry Potter, Die Hard 2 and White Christmas, all played by the 16-piece ensemble. A disclaimer notes the show isn't affiliated with the films or composers listed, but the repertoire covers a fair bit of ground, from the big cinematic scores to the more traditional carols.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in St Albans and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
There are two sessions on the night, so you can pick the one that suits you. The Early Concert has doors at 6pm and runs from 6.30pm to 7.45pm; the Late Concert opens at 8.15pm and runs from 8.45pm to 10pm. Tickets are £27.50 standard and £20.90 for concessions, and the venue is St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans, AL1 1BY.
