Gospel Orchestrated 2026 at Streatham Hill Theatre
Brixton Chamber Orchestra, Lurine Cato MBE, Isaiah Raymond Dyer and the College of Gospel Choir fill a 1929 South London theatre with gospel for Black History Month.
Artwork: Brixton Chamber Orchestra.
On Saturday 17 October, Brixton Chamber Orchestra brings Gospel Orchestrated to Streatham Hill Theatre: a 40-piece orchestra, a gospel band, a massed choir and two MOBO Award-winning singers on one stage. The concert is part of Streatham Festival 2026 and Black History Month, and it sets out to show gospel as a living tradition, shaped across African, Caribbean, British and American cultures and still changing.
Who is on stage
The headliner is Lurine Cato MBE, one of the UK's leading gospel voices, whose career runs from touring with the Lighthouse Family and Kylie Minogue to recording vocals on Adele's debut album 19; she was made an MBE in 2020 for services to music and charity. The special guest is Isaiah Raymond Dyer, a MOBO Award winner and Dove Award nominee, founder of the gospel group Raymond & Co. The College of Gospel Choir sings under its founder, the choir director Lascelles Haughton. Brixton Chamber Orchestra is led by its founder and artistic director Matthew O'Keeffe, with bandleader Alden Clarke.
What you will hear
The programme moves from old-school and classic gospel to contemporary sounds and new music, with arrangements by Nicky Brown, Ian Oakley, Alex Douglas and the orchestra's 2026 in-house composer Blasio Kavuma. Four new songs chosen through an open summer competition, by Kwasi Effah, Rachel Huggins, Rowlando Morgan and DuBetter, will be performed by the full orchestra and choir.
The building
Streatham Hill Theatre opened in 1929 and was the last theatre designed by W. G. R. Sprague, the architect behind several West End houses. It is Grade II listed. After staging theatre, opera and ballet until 1962 it became a bingo hall, and bingo ended in 2017. Today it is home to Ruach City Church, and an evening of orchestral gospel is a rare chance to hear what the auditorium was built for.
The orchestra
Brixton Chamber Orchestra is known for taking orchestral music out of concert halls and into markets, pubs, parks, churches and housing estates across South London. Its Estates Tours grew out of a community meeting on a Brixton estate, where neighbours realised how little they knew one another; the orchestra has since played grime, disco, drum and bass, jazz and classical, with professional musicians, young players and volunteers side by side.
Practical notes
The concert starts at 7pm. Tickets start at £15 and are sold through the orchestra's website. The nearest station is Streatham Hill, a short walk from the theatre; Brixton on the Victoria line is a bus ride up the hill. Check the organiser's page for the latest details before you go.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is Gospel Orchestrated?
Saturday 17 October 2026 at 7pm, at Streatham Hill Theatre / Ruach City Church, 110 Streatham Hill, London SW2 4RD.
How much are tickets?
Tickets start at £15 and are sold through Brixton Chamber Orchestra's website.
Who is performing?
Lurine Cato MBE, Isaiah Raymond Dyer, the College of Gospel Choir led by Lascelles Haughton, and a 40-piece Brixton Chamber Orchestra led by Matthew O'Keeffe with bandleader Alden Clarke.
Is it part of a festival?
Yes. Gospel Orchestrated is part of Streatham Festival 2026 and Black History Month.
Tickets and details from Brixton Chamber Orchestra
This is an independent informational guide compiled by the London BGTC Society for its members; we are not the organiser of this event. All official information lives on the organiser's website. Details are subject to change; always confirm before making plans.
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