Royal Albert Hall Reveals First Classical Coffee Mornings Season For 2026

The Royal Albert Hall's Classical Coffee Mornings series is set to return this month, offering audiences the chance to hear exceptional young musicians at the early stages of their careers. Running across nine performances from January to March, the programme continues the Hall's long-standing partnership with the Royal College of Music (RCM), presenting a beautifully curated mix of soloists and ensembles in the intimate Elgar Room.

The season opens on Sunday 25 January with harpist Tannaz Beigi, the first Iranian musician to study the instrument at the Royal College of Music. A current London Symphony Orchestra Scholar and recipient of the Countess of Munster Trust Award for 2025-26, Beigi has already played internationally at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Singapore's Victoria Hall, Helsinki's Musiikkitalo, and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as performing for His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.

The following week, on Sunday 1 February, Scottish soprano Emily Wishart will take to the Elgar Room stage, following her recent graduation from the RCM's Master of Performance (Vocal) program. Wishart is steadily growing her operatic profile across the UK, with recent roles including Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and Zerlina in Don Giovanni, alongside extensive experience in the RCM Opera Scenes and other concert performances.

Ensemble performances feature prominently throughout the season. On Sunday 8 February, the award-winning Fiora Quartet will deliver a dynamic and versatile programme shaped by their two-year long mentorship from the Sacconi Quartet – Britain's longest-established active string quartet. Founded at RCM in 2021, the group were named Britten Pears Young Artists for 2024-25 and have represented the UK at ANAM's Quartetthaus event.

The following week (Sunday 15 February) sees guitarist and theorbo player, Hope Cramsie, showcase the diversity and sensitivity of her instruments, spanning from Renaissance classics to contemporary works. A graduate of RCM and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Cramsie has already received extensive recognition throughout her career, including winning First Prize at the 2023 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award and the 2021 Leicester Music Festival Advanced Guitar Competition.

Focus will then turn towards performers from the Royal College of Music Junior Department (RCMJD): a programme focused on offering advanced training to young musicians aged 8-18. On Sunday 22 February, violinist Leo Behrend and cellist Inez Karlsson will join forces, both having built notable performance experience during their time with the department. Karlsson made her concerto debut at the age of 15 with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, while Behrend has appeared as leader of the RCMJD Symphony Orchestra, reaching the finals of the Chamber Music Competition.

Trio Musae will coalesce on Sunday 1 March, fresh from their selection as Hans Keller Artists for 2025-2026. Formed in 2024, the trio have quickly established a busy performance schedule across London and beyond, including appearances at St James's Piccadilly, St George's Hannover Square, and St John's Church Fulham.