Southampton Music Hub Welcomes the City of Culture Judges

Southampton Music Hub was delighted to work with several schools and colleges across the city to welcome the judges to Southampton on both Friday 13 and Monday 16 May. Both performances were the culmination of hours of workshops with the schools and colleges and a fantastic example of collaboration and partnership, an important part of the City of Culture Bid.

On Friday we were joined by Bitterne Park Secondary and St Anne's Catholic School along with students from Richard Taunton's Sixth Form College and Southampton University at Southampton Airport in the Signature Hanger. As the head and deputy head judge disembarked from their plane, they were treated to a rousing rendition of 'Oh When The Saints' - a proper Southampton welcome!

Monday saw Mount Pleasant Junior School Choir welcome Lord Parksinson at Southampton Central Station, asking him to 'Come Along with Me to the City by the Sea' and told him all about our city through song. The children were thrilled to be representative of the young people in the city. When asked what being City of Culture meant to them, one young performer answered 'belonging' and another said ' we want to show everyone how wonderful and diverse our city is. It means so much.'

Kath Page, Manager of Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs says:

“It's a real honour to have been able to do this for our city. The children and young people involved in both events are a shining example of the talent and potential our city has to offer. We really are a cultural city, and city of culture will give us the opportunity to really show what we can do. The young people were a credit to their schools and huge thanks to the teachers for collaborating to make these performances possible.”

Matt Brombley