Trafalgar Square hosts a free concert from the LSO on Saturday June 10

THERE’S no such thing, people will tell you, as a free lunch; and free concerts can be deeply disappointing. But a freebie from the London Symphony Orchestra is something to take seriously, so take note of the LSO’s annual, absolutely free appearance in Trafalgar Square this Saturday, June 10, at 5pm.

You get the full works: Simon Rattle conducting Stravinsky, John Adams, Debussy’s shimmering La Mer (an evocation of the sea that will be interesting surrounded by the London traffic) and Ravel’s masterpiece of early minimalism Bolero.

But there’s also a premiere from composer Eloise Gynn designed for members of the LSO to play alongside children from Newham and students from the Guildhall School. It’s called Light Dancing, which sounds delicate for the performing context, but I daresay Gynn’s music will be mindful of the proximity of Routemasters and tooting taxis. Pray for fine weather. lso.co.uk

OPERA Holland Park’s 2023 season continues with a new staging of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel: a simple fairytale set to grandly sumptuous German Romantic music that can sound like Wagner for children (of all ages). Be captivated, boo the witch, but don’t eat the gingerbread house – it’s fatally fattening. Runs June 10-23. operahollandpark.com

THREE significant anniversaries get observed musically this week, the first marking 20 years since the foundation of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust – and yes, the Trust is connected with spaghetti, or at least the family who make it. When they’re not packaging pasta, they support musicians. And a cohort of significant performers associated with the Trust over the decades – from Mitsuko Uchida to Mark Simpson – are at Wigmore Hall over the weekend June 10-11 for a conveyor belt of celebratory concerts. wigmore-hall.org.uk

The second anniversary marks something that’s been around a touch longer: the 900-year existence of St Bart’s Hospital, whose magnificent Great Hall is the setting for a gala concert by young artists involved with the City Music Foundation. CMF, like the Borletti Trust, assists emerging young musicians as they start on their careers. They’re usually very good. And this concert squeezes 18 of them into the evening on June 14, introduced by Radio 3’s best-loved presenter Donald McLeod. Tickets include wine and food. citymusicfoundation.org

City churches mark Sir Christopher Wren anniversary – squaremilechurches.co.uk

As for anniversary No3, it’s 300 years since the death of Britain’s greatest architect, Sir Christopher Wren; and to mark THAT, an event called Wrenathon is running June 13-23 in various of the City churches he designed after the Fire of London. Expect choral concerts, open rehearsals and other music-related activities. Worth checking out at squaremilechurches.co.uk

ON the subject of choirs, two notable ones of very different kinds hit London this coming week. The fabulous Sixteen bring their 2023 Choral Pilgrim­age to St Martin in the Fields on June 13, with a programme based around Byrd (yet another big anniversary, ongoing) but with other things besides if you’re feeling Byrded-out by now. stmartin-in-the-fields.org

Then, by contrast, the glamorous star of the American choral circuit Eric Whitacre is at Kings Place with his own choir singing his own sleekly soft-edged comfort music (like a soak in a hot bath, I always think), including items that are brand new. A hot ticket too. kingsplace.co.uk