Esplanade free concerts in November 2026: Soundtracks dates

Esplanade's free concerts in November 2026 come mainly from Soundtracks, a series of eight free evenings of film, TV and musical theatre songs at the Esplanade Concourse. They run on weekdays: Monday 2, Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Thursday 5, Tuesday 10, Wednesday 11, Wednesday 18 and Monday 30 November, each with 30-minute sets at 6.45pm and 7.45pm. There are no tickets to buy or book: you turn up.

The second wave comes with Kalaa Utsavam, Esplanade's Indian festival of arts, which adds free music, dance and storytelling from 20 to 29 November, on weekends as well as weekdays. Below: what each Soundtracks night plays and in which languages, which night suits which friend or relative, how the free shows work, and an after-work plan for reaching a 6.45pm set.

What is on at Soundtracks, night by night?

From each event's own page, read on 27 October 2026.

1. Monday 2 November, When You Wish Upon a Screen. Pianist and vocalist Ywenna, violinist Jana Loh and a nine-year-old guest singer, Gia, perform film songs such as Over the Rainbow and When You Wish Upon a Star. English.
2. Tuesday 3 November, As Heard on TV! The duo Shan & Luke play theme songs and hits from television. English.
3. Wednesday 4 November, K-Soundtracks with MOHANO. A Singapore-based K-pop cover band performs songs from Goblin, Hotel Del Luna, Itaewon Class and Crash Landing on You, with live beatboxing. Korean and English.
4. Thursday 5 November, Stories in Sound. The Alouette Ensemble plays film music arranged for string quartet, including works by Joe Hisaishi and Hans Zimmer. It is not a concert by either composer. English.
5. Tuesday 10 November, The Parachutes. Songs from TV shows from the 1990s to today, such as Don't Stop Believin' and I'll Be There for You. English.
6. Wednesday 11 November, Abby & Tristan: Songs We Remember. Singapore TV drama themes, such as Moonlight in the City and Good Morning, Sir!, plus Hong Kong hits. Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien.
7. Wednesday 18 November, Sunday with Friends. Arshad Sunday, with Iskandar on bass and Syafiq Misari on percussion, performs Malay and Indonesian drama and film songs, such as Akad and Jampi. English and Malay.
8. Monday 30 November, Musicals, Mischief & Mayhem. The piano-and-vocal Crimson Duo sings from musicals including Mamma Mia!, Wicked and Beetlejuice. English.

Which night suits whom?

Each night has a clear repertoire and language, which makes it easy to match to a person:

• A parent or grandparent who grew up on local Chinese drama: Wednesday 11 November, with Singapore TV themes and Hong Kong hits in Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien.
• A K-drama fan: Wednesday 4 November.
• Someone who grew up on Malay and Indonesian screen songs: Wednesday 18 November.
• A child, or anyone who loves classic film songs: Monday 2 November, which features a young guest singer, or Thursday 5 November for film scores, from animation to fantasy, played by a string quartet.
• A colleague who likes a singalong: Tuesday 10 November for TV classics, or Monday 30 November for musical theatre with a comic streak.

The three Wednesdays (4, 11 and 18 November) cover Korean, Chinese and Malay repertoire, so a standing midweek outing could take in all three.

How do Esplanade's free Concourse shows work?

The Concourse page describes the space fronting Esplanade's main entrance as a meeting point that becomes an evening performing space for amateur, semi-professional and professional artists. From Esplanade's own pages:

• No tickets. The Esplanade FAQs say that for free programmes no tickets are issued, so refunds do not apply, and any cancellation or postponement is posted on the event page or Esplanade's official channels.
• Two sets, one programme page. Each Soundtracks page lists sets at 6.45pm and 7.45pm. The pages do not say whether the second set differs from the first, so do not count on hearing something new by staying.
• Photos. The FAQs say casual photos and video for personal use are generally allowed at the Concourse and the outdoor theatre, without flash, unless the artist restricts it.
• Seating. None of the pages we read says how much seating there is, so if someone in your group cannot stand for 30 minutes, arrive early and plan for it.

Are there other free concerts at Esplanade in November?

Yes, mostly from 20 November. The Kalaa Utsavam festival page promises "a diverse line-up of free music, dance and community programmes throughout the festival". Examples:

• Friday 20 November: the 15-minute opening performance by SIFAS bharatanatyam and kathak dancers in the Esplanade Courtyard at 6.45pm; Rhythms of Tradition, three free sets at the outdoor theatre at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm, each featuring a mix of dance pieces (the page suggests staying for all three); and An Indian Girl's Mixtape, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi songs reworked for voice, keys and percussion at the Concourse at 7.15pm and 8.15pm.
• Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November: young Temple of Fine Arts dancers in Rooted in Tradition at the Concourse, listed at noon and 1pm.
• 21, 22, 28 and 29 November: Not Quite Murukku, a free storytelling show for ages 6 and above at PIP's PLAYbox, with sessions listed at 11.30am, 12.15pm, 3.30pm and 5pm; check the page for each day.

Our Kalaa Utsavam 2026 guide covers the ticketed shows and the rest of the free line-up. Beyond the festivals, the outdoor theatre page says its programmes are free every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday; check each event page for times. Esplanade's general advisory adds that some outdoor performances may be cancelled if air quality reaches unhealthy levels.

An after-work plan for a 6.45pm set

Esplanade's MRT walking guide gives about 10 to 15 minutes from City Hall station, with a sheltered, air-conditioned route through CityLink Mall and the Esplanade tunnel, and about 7 to 10 minutes from Esplanade station on the Circle Line for families with strollers. The general advisory says the CityLink tunnel is open from 6am to 10pm daily.

An illustrative plan, with invented people: Wei Ling, Farah and Arjun work near Raffles Place and pick Wednesday 18 November for the Malay film songs Farah grew up with.

1. 6.15pm: leave the office and take the MRT to City Hall.
2. 6.25pm: walk the indoor route through CityLink Mall and the tunnel, allowing the full 15 minutes in the evening crowd.
3. 6.45pm: first set at the Concourse; the 7.45pm set is the fallback if you run late.
4. 7.15pm: dinner nearby. If one person pays, our group cost calculator works out each share.

The times are an example, not a promise. For a larger group, see our guide to planning a concert outing for a group.

Before you go: a short checklist

• Open the event page on the day for changes.
• In rain, use the sheltered CityLink route; it has stairs and escalators, with stair lifts and an intercom for wheelchair users.
• Esplanade's accessibility page offers free wheelchair loans (call 6828 8377) and notes handrails on both Concourse staircases; our guide to accessible outings compares Esplanade with Gardens by the Bay.
• For a ticketed night, see our guides to Esplanade's Mosaic concerts and December at Esplanade, our Esplanade visitor reference or the going-out topic page.

Common questions