OperaUpClose in partnership with Chickenshed Theatre and Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs present Peace At Last, an opera for 3 – 5 year olds based on the picture book by Jill Murphy.
Starting on Saturday 4 November 2023, FLOW sessions are back at MAST Music Studio.
Young rappers (or aspiring rappers) ages 11-16 can get support to tighten up their rhymes and improve their flow!
The Solent Shanty Sing project continued last week with performances taking place at Weston Shore on Wednesday 14th June and two performances on Friday 16th June
Singing groups from Weston Park Junior School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School joined us at Weston Shore on Wednesday 14th with lots of parents and family as we sang the Southampton Sea shanties and songs that were composed with ideas from the children out to the sea.
On Friday 16th at West Quay we set up in front of the walls and ran two workshop performances in the sometimes punishing heat! The afternoon session saw Mount Pleasant Junior School, Freemantle Primary, Highfield Infants and St John’s Primary take part with a large audience sitting in the steps enjoying the performances of shanties from the songbook.
After school we hosting another performance which featured three primary schools from the Hamwic Trust – Wordsworth, Hollybrook and Shirley Infant and Primary schools. The music leads in these schools have been using the whole songbook as a resource for their singing assemblies throughout the year so they had selected some songs from the other regions involved in the commission (Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Portsmouth).
All the groups were all entertained prior to the event by the fantastic Southampton Salty Sea Dogs lead by Pauline McWilliams.
Miranda Boakes-Clark Teacher and Music Lead Shirley & Hollybrook Infants
“The children absolutely LOVED doing it. I think it was really special being down at the city walls and something they’ll always remember ...it’s so lovely to collaborate and make special things happen for our children.”
Friday 23rd June saw the final event of the Solent Shanty Sing Project which has run throughout this academic year in celebration of Year of the Coast 2023 and in partnership between Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Music Hubs. This event was particularly special as it was the first time that children from all of the participating music hub areas had come together to sing!
The event took place at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which was the ideal setting, with it’s rich maritime history and incredible wealth of heritage sites and attractions to visit. 200 children from each hub area (800 in total) were treated to an entire day of visiting the attractions such as HMS Warrior, the Mary Rose Museum and Portsmouth Hub’s specially created treasure trail, before being treated to an incredible display from the Royal Marines Marching Band and a massed sing of the Shanty Songbook.
Musicians from Folk Active, Southampton Salty Sea Dogs, Hampshire Music Hub and the English Folk Dance and Song Society were also present throughout the day providing live music for the children to listen to and enjoy as well as providing live music for them to sing with during their performance.
The children sang all the pieces from the songbook the 4 music hubs jointly commissioned for this project from composer and sound artist Emily Peasgood plus two extra arranged by Chris Ricketts. Each hub area choir had two songs to sing on their own which were shanties originally collected in their regions or newly composed songs based on ideas from workshops the children took part in the Autumn term. All 800 voices joined together for the three joint songs during the programme to a large audience in the square outside the Mary Rose Museum to an audience of parents, families, VIPs and spectators.
Mel Thomas (Teacher St Patrick’s Primary School Southampton)
“….the best event our school choir has had the opportunity to take part in! Thank you for inviting us to be part of such a wonderful event. It has given the children great memories that will stay with them and it has really encouraged their love for singing, music and performing in a choir. The impact the day has had on them was great.”
On Pupil from St Patrick’s said:
“I just don’t know how I’m going to describe to my parents everything I’ve seen and done today!”
On Friday 9 June 2023, 850 children from 14 schools across the island gathered together for the culmination of the Isle of Wight Solent Shanty Sing Project to perform together en masse and kick start a brand new walking festival celebrating the Heritage Coastline and Year of the Coast 2023! A mixture of children from Year 1 right up to Year 11 participated along with students from SEND settings.
Children arrived in staggered groups from 11am onwards and were treated to fantastic performances by local shanty groups the SHEshells and The Brighstone Barnacles while the sheer volume of pupils got into position. The New Carnival Company provided some beautiful flags and decoration for the space in the already stunning setting of Ventnor Botanic Gardens in full summer bloom.
The children sang a mixture of songs from a songbook commissioned by the music hub, composed a curated by Emily Peasgood and featured some original sea shanties collected on the Isle of Wight plus songs written with input from children taking part in the project. The event finished with a song written especially by Jo Downs about the Heritage Coastline on the island and everyone gave a loud countdown to start the first group of walkers taking part in the walking festival. The walking event was organised by Creative Ways Outdoors, New Carnival Company and the IOW Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty trust who provided certificates to all the young people who took part in the project to take home with them.
This huge scale partnership project continues over the next few weeks with further performances taking place in Weston Shore, West Quay and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where 4 music hubs; Southampton, Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Portsmouth will all come together!
Photo credit Tracy Curtis and New Carnival Company
Nia Collins Event Organiser, says:
“What has been so fantastic about this project has been the level of collaboration and partnership that has brought this project together between cultural organisations (such as New Carnival Company and Creative Ways Outdoors) and local organisations (IOW AONB and Ventnor Botanic Gardens) right down to the children taking part writing their own parts of the songs we sang today. The Classic Boat Museum in Cowes even created a lesson plan resource especially for the project which has been shared with all the music hubs taking part in the wider regional project.
I have learned lots of things about the island’s unique geography and rich maritime history through this project and I’m certain that the young people participating have as well, all while we have been supporting schools and teachers to keep the magic of singing alive for children and young people!”
Young people, aged 13-25: Southampton Music Hub needs you!
We’re launching a new way to SHARE AND SHOUT ABOUT MUSIC!
Created by young people, for young people, we want to share new music, music events, and support opportunities for young musicians in the area.
If you’re interested in… social media… music promotion… music journalism… blogging… live Events… then this opportunity could be for you!
Join us at our kickstarter day to form a brand new team, start a brand new project, and design the future:
Saturday 13 May 2023 • 10am-3pm
Music Studio @ MAST Mayflower Studios. SO14 7DU
Free lunch included!
Trouble with transport, or getting to the sessions? We can help. Just let us know when you sign up.
Any questions? Get in touch
Girls Make Music is a new club for girls and young women to explore music production, recording, songwriting and organising live events: a safe space to share ideas and interests whilst building skills, confidence, and collaborating with other young creatives!
This opportunity will be running for ten weeks and those taking part will be able to help design the opportunities that come next.
Sessions are free and all abilities are welcome. Girls can try out a session or come along regularly!
Age group: 11-16 years.
Wednesdays at 4.30 - 6.00pm
Mast Mayflower Studios
For all young people aged 11-16 interested in music production, there is also a monthly music production collective, open to all.
The Rap and Literacy (Co-designing a Creative Curriculum) project was initiated by Southampton Music Hub, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and worked with art-based practitioner (Rob Bradley) as well as three Southampton Schools (Bassett Green Primary School, St Monica Junior School and Weston Park Primary School) between May 2021 and December 2022.
Through a process of co-construction, a year’s long programme of music and literacy was designed and delivered from September 2021 to July 2022, including workshops, class-based lessons, and performances. The programme worked with 270 pupils, nine class-based teachers, one music hub curriculum specialist, and rap performer Rob Bradley. In addition to those taking part in the core programme activity, performances reached an audience of over 200 parents and family members.
Following the completion of the project, a documentary film and evaluation report is being released following a shared learning and celebration event in January which was attended by the organisations who took part, as well as regional education and cultural partners, and Arts Council England.
Find out more about the Action Research of Southampton Music Hub
Photographs thanks to City Eye.
As 2022 comes to an end, we’re highlighting some of the most memorable moments from the year:
Featured
Earlier in the year
Featured
On Friday 2 December 2022 two rappers from Bassett Green release their debut tracks, recorded at MAST Music Studio.
The first track, from Nathaniel, is called ‘Life is a Blessing’ and is about “inspiring people to keep trying hard, and to not give up on their dreams, no matter what happens to them.”
The second track, from Mckinley, is called ‘Took Me All These Years’ and is about “the past, and no matter what happens, to keep on trying”.
Nathaniel and Mckinley first took part in rap sessions at their school thanks to the Rap and Literacy Project, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation. They have come to the MAST Music Studio as part of the DNA Programme which supports young musicians working in digital music genres.
Over the next two years, children and young people on the South West coast will have new opportunities to shape and lead the future of music-making due to an exciting project from the South West Coastal Music Hub Alliance, and all made possible thanks to funding from Youth Music.
The five music hubs in the alliance — Southampton; Isle of Wight; Portsmouth; Dorset; and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole — are working together to reach out to children and young people who are missing out on learning and making music because of their background or life circumstances.
With the support of “Youth Voice Engagement Workers”, the initiative will help these young people to shape and lead exciting “Action Research” projects: testing out new ideas and approaches which will enable more children and young people to access music in the future. The project will also be co-managed by a young person for the first time.
This initiative is supported by Youth Music, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
“This is an amazing and exciting project, and we are so grateful to Youth Music for making it possible. We know that young people in our region have incredible ideas and ambitions for making music, and we want to make sure they can access the support they want and need to help make their aspirations and reality.”
— Matt Brombley, Project Manager
The South West Coastal Music Hub Alliance is recruiting for Youth Engagement Workers as well as a young co-project manager, find out more below:
Photographer: Nosa Malcolm. Turner Sims, Southampton.
Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 September saw the return of the hub’s live music offer to schools in Southampton. A collaboration between Jazz Denmark, Turner Sims and Southampton Music Hub provided schools from across the city the opportunity to watch performances by Sveneborg Kardyebe and RKIDA. Both groups wowed their young audience with an outstanding show of musicianship on both very old and very new musical instruments and technologies.
Sarah Lloyd, Music leader at Kanes Hill said:
It was such an incredible experience and our children left literally buzzing. Being able to bring hear RKDIA was just so fab. The children were absolutely captivated and inspired and had so many brilliant things to say afterwards.”
In a letter they wrote to the performers, the pupils added
‘“It was so good it nearly knocked our socks off. We especially liked the way you improvised. Your passion for music and your instruments was so clear that it has made us want to learn to play the drums and piano (especially the drums). Your talent is out of this world! Those of us that play instruments (just over half of the class) wish we could play as well as you. You also looked like you were really enjoying yourselves, which is cool.”
When it was finished, we were buzzing and most of us clapped so hard that our hands nearly fell off!”
“Overall, this was the best day we have had in year 6 so far and we wish we could watch you perform again. We keep asking our teacher to put the clips we have of you performing on loop!”
“We really are very grateful for the opportunity and are so appreciative that we got to go into such an impressive hall. We hope next year's Year Six will get to go too.”
On Saturday 16 July Southampton Music Hub brought performances and workshops to Southampton Mela as part of Art Asia’s vibrant celebration of the city’s cultures and creativity.
With performances from Southampton Youth Wind Band, Harmony Junction, and FLOW rap workshops from the DNA Team, the Mela was a celebration of many of the themes of the year at Southampton Music Hub.
Live Music is BACK
Southampton Youth Wind Band played a phenomenal set at the Mela, and they are just one of the hub’s many groups, bands and orchestras who have enjoyed performing live music this year. Since last September, the city and it’s young people have seen an exciting return of live music. We’ve seen performances for schools, at MAST and the community. We’ve seen performances from young people often alongside and supported by incredible established artists and groups, including rappers, orchestras and more.
Co-creation and Partnership
Harmony Junction was a co-created by Southampton Music Hub and Art Asia and is a great example of the way Southampton Music Hub works in partnership with others to help support diverse and authentic expressions of music and music education. From our Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded Rap and Literacy project, to the Proud to Be events, to young people at the heart of the city’s cultural celebrations, this year has been all about partnership, and that will only continue to grow in the future,
Young People Take The Lead
Our freestyle workshop, with freestyle rapper Tenchoo, at the Mela, is a great example of how this year young people have increasingly been taking the lead in shaping the music offer that is available to them. Our DNA programme includes support for young people to find their voice with songwriting and production, and then use that voice to help pick the programme of masterclasses, groups and workshops to help them flourish. Young people are having an increasing voice in shaping the future of music-making and learning in the city.
A Vibrant Local Ecosystem of Music Education
As Southampton Music Hub closes one year, and looks ahead to the next, its clear to see that music education in the city is about to take another huge step forward following the announcement of the new National Plan for Music Education. Part Southampton' Music Hub’s response will be to grow and develop our support of the vibrant local ecosystem of music education which we saw on display at the Mela festival on Saturday. There is real excitement across the city — from schools, education settings, hub partners and beyond — to see music education in the city become more diverse, more inclusive and more accessible to all.
News highlights of the year:
Featured
On Friday 1 July 2022, school children from across Southampton were delighted by performance musician, as well as music and wellbeing educator, Laura Loft. Invited by Southampton Music Hub, Laura and her team performed a live interactive concert version of her fantastic resource Big Emotions at MAST Mayflower Studios.
Big Emotions is a beautiful story book written by Laura which features songs which support children and young people to process and recognise their emotions. Laura has also created a fantastic scheme of work to go with this which covers the national curriculum for music and is suitable for children in Year R, Year 1 and Year 2. Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hub were so impressed with this resource that we bought this in for our schools (along with some CPD from Laura) to use at the beginning of the academic year with a particular emphasis on health and wellbeing being such an important part of the recovery curriculum post Covid.
The hub has followed up schools’ huge take up of this with the opportunity to come and hear some of the songs performed live with wonderful interactive musical activities sprinkled throughout lead by Laura other musicians. Five schools and around 150 attended the theatre to sing, enjoy and take part in a brilliant workshop performance which focused on; Excitement, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Happiness. The children left with a soothing feather in their hands to help them feel the emotion ‘calm’.
Nia Collins, Programmes and Events Manager for Southampton Music Hub, says:
“Laura is such a brilliant educator and believes so fervently that music and wellbeing are intrinsically linked that she is able to put this across so clearly in the amazing work that she does with children in this area. We have recently been successful in bidding for some additional money from Music Mark to continue this important work with Laura through partnership. Next term we will have a new resource for Years 2, 3 & 4 called Big Dreams which will focus on growth mindset through creative musical activities”
Southampton Music Hub had the privilege of working with local charity African Adventures Foundation this term on a very unique and special project.
Via African Adventures the music hub connected children from schools in Southampton with The Walk Centre in Nakuru, Kenya which is supported and maintained by African Adventures Foundation. Over Zoom the children and young people got together to plan out a choral exchange concert, choosing songs that they would like to perform for each other and songs they would love the other group to perform. The young people involved also asked lots of questions about what life was like in the other country and a variety of brilliant questions which we set about answering as part of this too.
On Tuesday 14 June all the Southampton based schools came together to celebrate the project at Turner Sims Concert Hall and took part in a filmed concert performance which also featured some fantastic video footage of The Walk Centre Choir performing and answering the questions that were originally posed.
Participating Southampton schools are now going to start to help with fundraising for their new friends in Nakuru Kenya. A final video of this performance and the footage from our partner school will be available for participants friends and family to watch after making a small donation to African Adventures Foundation.
Nia Collins, Partnerships Manager, says:
“We are looking forward to getting some of our young people back together on a Zoom call with our counterparts in Kenya afterwards to see what they all thought of their performances and to continue to grow the connections between us.”
A participant says:
“ I loved hearing the children from Africa sing because it made me feel so happy. It was really great being able to do a concert with children from another country. I would like to do more of that.”
Kath Page, Hub Lead, says:
“This has been such an amazing project to be a part of, designed and led by the children themselves. This concert is really the tip of the iceberg and it will be fascinating to see what kind of music the children would like to perform in the future – their voices will be paramount in shaping the music hub offer in the future.”
Rachel Northover, Head of fundraising at African Adventures Foundation, says:
“African Adventures Foundation was delighted to collaborate with Southampton Music Hub on this fantastic event to celebrate cultural exchange and the power of music to connect children from different backgrounds. It was really special to see the enthusiasm and efforts of the pupils from the various schools involved, and they created an amazing atmosphere for the choral exchange. This has been an exciting project for African Adventures Foundation to be involved in and we are keen to maintain a connection with the schools to continue the exchange that has been initiated.”
On Sunday 6 June young performers from 13 different schools in Southampton came together for a special performance at the Big Platinum Festival in Mayflower Park. They opened the festival to an audience of thousands with a rousing rendition of the hub's own Jubilee song, 'It's Our Jubilee' written by Jo Downs. They then drummed along with Forever Queen to the ever popular 'We Will Rock You'.
Kath Page, Hub Manager, says:
“We are thrilled to be a part of the Jubilee celebrations. This is a brand new festival choir that has been put together specially for this event, but thousands of children have been involved in singing the jubilee song in the run up to the Platinum Jubilee as part of our own Jubilee Celebrations. Huge congratulations to Unity Radio for putting together such a great party!”
One of the young performers says:
“ I can't believe there are so many people here!! It's a bit scary, but I'm so excited to be singing and to have made new friends with people. I'm going to carry on singing after this!”
On Sunday 22 May the newly formed Music Hub Festival Choir performed at MAST Mayflower Studios’ big birthday bash. The choir performed 'It's Our Jubilee' , the hubs newly commissioned song to celebrate the queen's jubilee.
The choir was formed of community members and representatives from 14 schools across the city.
Composer Jo Downs, who also sang in the choir says:
“It was wonderful to see my song coming to life. I loved the inclusion of signing in the performance and I was blown away by the standard of singing after two rehearsals.”
Akindu, one of the singers, says:
“It was really good fun to sing at the concert. I really liked the jubilee song.”
Want to make, share and promote your own music? Our new Music Studio team have put together a set of tools to help.
The team have picked four common goals:
If we’re missing something from our list, or you have ideas for making it better, let us know!
Southampton Music Hub was delighted to partner with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Culture Programme.
In partnership with the Football Association, the Women’s EURO 2022 Culture Programme, will engage fans in a range of musical opportunities and public events celebrating the history, ethos and future of women’s football. Southampton is one of ten local authorities across England that will host a vibrant arts programme as part of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England this summer – part of an exciting national cultural programme supported by £800,000 funding from Arts Council England, thanks to National Lottery players.
Eight workshops were held across Southampton with a local composer and RPO musicians to create a bespoke Southampton anthem celebrating our local area and women’s football heritage. Workshops took place with a wide range of residents, from a library rhyme time to intergenerational choirs and several schools pupils and their parents. Using musical activities and games, workshops drew out ideas, lyrics and musical themes that will culminate in a new song performed by and for local audiences in match day Fan Zones accompanied by RPO musicians. In total over 500 people contributed their ideas and inspiration. Like the Women’s EURO 2022 Tournament Anthem, resources and recordings will be made available free source to all fans wishing to learn, perform or use these celebratory songs.
Workshop participant Glenda said, ' We were thrilled that we were joined by a past member of Southampton's 1972 cup final winning team. The footballers won the respect of the whole room and the professional musicians’ skills inspired us all. You never know what surprises can come about from a collaboration between music and sport.’.
Lisa Rodio, Director of Community and Education with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra says:
“The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are delighted to be working with Southampton Council and Southampton Music Hub on this exciting project, engaging so many Southampton residents with music and football. The new anthem for Southampton will be a celebration of the area made with and for local people, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear, learn and join us in performing it this summer when the UEFA Women’s EURO comes to town.”
More to come on this exciting project!
On Tuesday 8 March 2022, Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia had the pleasure of performing to children of primary school ages, from across the city. The theme being Heroes and Villains, the programme consisted of film music from many well-known films such as Star Wars, Ghost Busters and Pirates of The Caribbean.
The children in the audience were encouraged to participate in unlocking sections of the orchestra and their instruments, to gain as much understanding and knowledge of musical features as possible. They worked with Kath and Mia to identify the evil characters and the good in every piece. In addition, the actions and clapping that were introduced to the children, allowed them to engage with the orchestra on another level.
“I had a wonderful day and it was such a lovely experience which I am so glad to have been a part of. I hope to be able to do it again, next year.” - Laila Tabayashi, viola
The children were ecstatic which just made the orchestra members play with more enthusiasm. It was written on their faces that they had just as much fun as we did and we hope to have inspired them to take on a new instrument.
“Loved the energy of the performance. Members of the orchestra were enjoying it as much as the children were. It was so good that they can learn about music in such a fun way. The funniest moment for me was when Anna walked on to conduct, and lots of the children shouted ‘Stop! Thief!’ as they were instructed to for the game” - Annabel CD
Report from a Young SYCS Player:
On the day of the Children’s Concert, it was a blustery and cold morning when the orchestra met in front of the Rose Garden fountain at Southampton Art Gallery. Thus assembled, we set off for MAST Mayflower Studios, only a short walk away, and to our dressing rooms before our initial rehearsal and soundcheck. Despite the threat of someone falling off the stage, which was quickly resolved, the rehearsal went smoothly. We were shuffled back into our dressing rooms for a break before the show, and then our audience was arriving.
Led by Nia Collins and Kath Page, it was clear that the children had an awesome time from their enthusiasm to join in the musical activities in pursuit of finding the heroes of each piece and banishing the villains. Particularly delightful were the cries of “Thief!” throughout the show as new musical clues were discovered in the chest by musicians alongside conductor Kevin Withell, though conductor Anna Robinson was mistakenly accused of thievery when in fact she was preparing to conduct the next piece. By the end of the concert, the children had assembled a “hero team” from each of the pieces, and learnt about ostinatos, dynamics, and the different sections of the orchestra, to name but a few.
After the first concert, it was lunchtime, and soon enough we were back onstage for our second concert of the day. This time, various new schools had come to assemble their “hero team,” and their energy brought a bout of enthusiasm to the lag of another concert (the fifth concert of six that SYCS planned for the Spring Term!), starting off, as before, with Bach’s Toccata before the musical learning began! The children had arrived ready to learn, and were an eager and passionate audience that joined in with brio as the concert went on, culminating in an epic finale with ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.’ This piece features several solos from members of the orchestra, including the leader, and the children joined in through thrilling pirate-related actions. A swashbuckling time was had by all during the piece, and at the end the orchestra stood to rip-roaring applause.
Special thanks must be given to Nia Collins and Kath Page, for their leadership during the concert and masterful methods of musical learning, making it genuinely enjoyable and educational at the same time; Anna Robinson and Kevin Withell, for their conduction of the orchestra (despite Kevin’s assurance that conducting is “just standing here and waving my arms around”) and lively spirit which buoyed us through the day; the adult players who joined the orchestra; and Zoe Hunting, alongside other members of the Southampton Music Hub, for organising the event. They, alongside the orchestra, were the true heroes of the day.
On Saturday 12 February Southampton Music Hub will welcome composer, conductor and presenter Patrick Bailey and players from the London Sinfonietta to work with players from Southampton Youth Strings and Southampton Youth Wind Band.
During the day Southampton's young musicians will work on on two contemporary pieces: developing modern technical skills, being involved in the creative process of developing a new piece of music, as well as taking part in sectionals with players from London Sinfonietta.
The day will end with a free public performance, 3.30 - 4.00 at Woodlands Community College, Minstead Avenue, Southampton, SO18 5FW.