1938 in British music

This is a summary of 1938 in music in the United Kingdom.

Events

 * June – at the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) Festival in London Benjamin Britten meets Aaron Copland.
 * 18 August – Benjamin Britten is the soloist at the first performance of his Piano Concerto, staged during the London Proms.
 * date unknown – the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams begins an affair with Ursula Wood.

Popular music

 * "The Biggest Aspidistra In The World" by Tommie Connor, W. G. Haines & James S. Hancock
 * "Boomps-A-Daisy", with words and music by Annette Mills
 * "Cinderella, Stay In My Arms" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Michael Carr
 * "Dearest Love" w.m. Noël Coward
 * "I Went to a Marvelous Party" w.m. Noël Coward
 * "The Stately Homes Of England", with words and music by Noël Coward
 * "Where Are The Songs We Sung?" w.m. Noël Coward
 * "You're What's The Matter With Me" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr. Introduced by Harry Richman and Evelyn Dall in the film Kicking the Moon Around.

Classical music: new works

 * Benjamin Britten – Piano Concerto, Op. 13 (original version)
 * Alan Bush – Piano Concerto, Op. 18, with baritone and male choir in last movement
 * Hamilton Harty – The Children of Lir
 * Herbert Howells – Hymnus Paradisi
 * Michael Tippett – Piano Sonata No. 1

Film and Incidental music

 * Louis Levy – Crackerjack, directed by Albert de Courville.
 * Ernest Irving –
 * The High Command, starring Lionel Atwill, Lucie Mannheim and James Mason.
 * I See Ice, starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Betty Stockfeld.
 * It's in the Air, starring George Formby, Polly Ward and Jack Hobbs. Directed by Anthony Kimmins.

Musical theatre

 * 26 January – The London production of Nine Sharp opens at The Little Theatre, to run for 405 performances.
 * 16 March – The London production of Operette opens at His Majesty's Theatre after a short run in Manchester.
 * 6 July – Maritza aka Countess Maritza, London production opened at the Palace Theatre
 * 29 September – These Foolish Things London revue opened at the Palladium

Musical films

 * Around the Town, directed by Herbert Smith, starring Vic Oliver and Irene Ware.
 * Break the News, directed by René Clair, starring Jack Buchanan and Maurice Chevalier.
 * Kicking the Moon Around, directed by Walter Forde, starring Bert Ambrose and Evelyn Dall
 * Mountains O'Mourne, directed by Harry Hughes, starring René Ray and Niall MacGinnis.
 * My Irish Molly, directed by Alex Bryce, starring Binkie Stuart
 * Over She Goes, directed by Graham Cutts, starring Stanley Lupino and Claire Luce
 * Sailing Along, directed by Sonnie Hale, starring Jessie Matthews and Barry MacKay
 * Stepping Toes, directed by John Baxter, starring Hazel Ascot and Enid Stamp-Taylor
 * Thistledown, directed by Arthur B. Woods, starring Aino Bergö and Athole Stewart
 * We're Going to Be Rich starring Gracie Fields, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy

Births

 * 18 March – Kenny Lynch, singer, songwriter and actor (died 2019)
 * 31 March – Laurie Holloway, pianist and composer
 * 27 May – Elizabeth Harwood, operatic soprano (died 1990)
 * 1 July – Susan Maughan, singer
 * 26 August – Jet Black (The Stranglers)
 * 20 September – Jane Manning, operatic soprano
 * 5 October – Peter Aston, conductor and composer (died 2013)
 * 28 October – Howard Blake, composer
 * 31 December – Christopher Steel, composer (died 1991)

Deaths

 * 1 February – Marie Dainton, actress and music hall performer, 56
 * 9 March – Sydney Baynes, conductor, composer and bandleader, 59
 * 18 March – Cyril Rootham, organist and composer, 62
 * 18 April – Richard Runciman Terry, musicologist, 72
 * 24 July – Marmaduke Barton, pianist and composer, 72
 * 14 August – Sir Landon Ronald, conductor and composer, 65
 * 3 September – James Kendrick Pyne, organist and composer, 86
 * 4 November – John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
 * 15 November – Viola Tree, actress, singer and playwright, 54 (pleurisy)