Another brand new, free song has been added to the Everybody Sing Song Bank this month.
‘St George’s Day Blues’, written by Jo Downs, celebrates St George’s Day and will let children of all ages have fun learning about the story of St George through a catchy call and response blues song. Alongside the song, there is another podcast episode with ideas for dragon themed vocal warm ups.
Family Rock Jam returns to the Academy of Music and Sound this Saturday, with another free rock guitar workshop from 10am–12noon. Joined by the house band, Grove Merchant, Family Rock Jam is a great way for families of all shapes and sizes to learn to play guitar, performing alongside some of the city's most talented young rock musicians.
On Saturday 24 March 2018, Southampton Music Hub and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra were joined by families of all shapes and sizes for a Family Orchestra workshop at The Ashby Sure Start Centre. The orchestra created new musical ideas to go with their pieces of music inspired by the songs "We Are Family" and "Viva La Vida".
After a week away because of the snow, Family Orchestra is back this weekend, with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra bringing an exciting and creative music-making workshop to the Ashby Centre on Saturday morning.
Suitable for families of all shapes and sizes — any standard, any age, any instrument welcome!
On Saturday 24 March 2018, young orchestral musicians from across the city will come together for an inspirational evening of music at Central Hall. Featuring performances from Acorn Strings, Elgar, Southampton Youth Strings (SYS), Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia (SYCS) and Southampton Youth Orchestra (SYO) the evening will also feature a special guest performance from Airplay, the city's foundation youth wind band.
Tickets cost £10 for adults, £5 for concessions, £2 for children under 16, and a special family ticket (two adults and two children) costs £20. Advance price tickets can be reserved up until 3pm on Friday 23 March, by contacting the Southampton Music Hub office.
Family Rock Jam returns to Academy of Music and Sound this Saturday for another free and fun, open-access rock guitar jam session! House band Groove Merchant will be back again to play along with families of all shapes and sizes, and guitar players of all ages and abilities!
Bring your own guitar or use one of the free ones provided!
On Monday 5 March, Jo Downs — one of Southampton Music Hub's brilliant teachers — and her family appeared on Juilian Clegg's show on BBC Radio Solent to perform live on their ukuleles.
Billed as "the south's real Von Trapp family", Jo, husband Tim, and their children Alice and Emily, won the opportunity to perform after a competition at The Kings Theatre, looking for the most musical family they could find.
Matt Brombley, Interim Manager at Southampton Music Hub, says:
"We have an incredible team of musical teachers and families here at Southampton Music Hub, and Jo is an amazing example of someone who shares their love of music with everyone they meet — not just at home, but in schools and across the community too. Whether it's teaching brass, writing catchy (and sometimes a little silly) songs for the Everybody Sing Song Bank, or performing with her family on the radio, Jo has an infectious love of music, so it's no surprise to see that the whole family also join in."
Turner Sims have two family concerts happening this Spring:
On Sunday 25 March 2018, Welsh National Opera (WNO) bring their hugely successful Family Concert to Southampton with a programme of popular favourites from the world of opera, film and TV performed by the full orchestra and singers — a perfect way to introduce all the family to opera and classical music. The concert has an animal theme this year, so families can join in and go wild for WNO. Tickets cost £15 for adults and £7.50 for under 16s.
On Saturday 14 April 2018, the ABC Bunny Band will get families into the Easter spirit with a concert of exciting folk music full of dancing, singing, jiggling and lots of fun! Audiences of all ages can clap along to some of the best tunes from the British Isles and beyond — joining in with the massed Morris Dance, and being taken to new places with live music and interactive storytelling. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £4 for under 16s, so the whole family can put on their bunny ears and get ready for an eggs-traordinary, action-packed concert!
This weekend sees the launch of Family Rock Jam — a chance for players of all ages and abilities to join in a free, fun, and open-access rock guitar jam session with house band Groove Merchant. The first Family Rock Jam session is on Saturday 24 February 2018, from 10am-12noon at Academy of Music and Sound.
Musicians can bring their own guitar if they have one, or can use one of the free acoustic guitars provided.
The free song in this month's Everybody Sing Song Bank is a celebration of the magical worlds that can be explored through reading. With shoutouts to some of the world's great children's authors, and lyrics that encourage getting lost in a good book, everyone can join in with this exciting new song written by Jo Downs.
Two Southampton Music Hub Award Holder students, tuba player Morro Barry and bassoon player Lucy Gowans, are celebrating after national recognition for their musical talents.
Morro Barry, tuba player
It was after taking part in a project with the Chineke! Orchestra in November that Morro, aged 13, was invited to audition for the Chineke! Junior Orchestra: an orchestra run by the Chineke! Foundation, which supports young Black and Minority Ethnic classical musicians across Europe. After a successful Skype interview with Chinke! founder, Chi Chi Okinawa, Morro has been invited to join the Chineke! Junior Orchestra this Spring.
Lucy Gowan, bassoon player
After auditioning from the National Children's Orchestra at the end of last year, Lucy, aged 11, has been offered places in both the under 12s national orchestra and the regional orchestra. Both orchestras are run by the highly acclaimed National Children's Orchestra, which provides a world class foundation in orchestra performance and musicianship to musically talented children in the UK aged 7-14.
Zoe Hunting, Ensembles Manager for Southampton Music Hub, says:
"I'm delighted that two Award Holder students from our city's youth orchestras and bands are also being recognised at a national level: the whole team offer their congratulations to the students on all the hard work that has led to their success. Southampton Music Hub is dedicated to supporting all young musicians to reach their fullest potential, and thanks to the support of music teachers and the Award Holder scheme, it is wonderful to see two young players reach such great heights of musical development."
Both Morro and Lucy will be appearing as soloists in the Southampton Concert Wind Band performance on Sunday 29 April at All Saint's Church in Botley."
![March 2018 [Digital].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59789abccd0f68d2902de57e/1518180326949-E6VWHVCBPECZUV7PSY11/March+2018+%5BDigital%5D.jpg)
On Friday 2 March 2018, ss part of the Indian Classical Music Club, Art Asia and Southampton Music Hub present an evening of Indian classical and fusion music. Taking place from 7-9pm at St Anne's Catholic School, the evening will include presentations that provide a deeper understanding of the history, instruments and structures of Indian classical and fusion music, whilst inspiring performances from world renowned musicians will excite audiences with a contemporary view of the ragas (scales) and talas (rhythms) that make up these vibrant musical styles.
This month, presentations and performances will come from Sanju Sahai (Tabla), Giuliano Modarelli (Guitar) and Pooja Angra (Vocal) — three world-class performers across Indian classical and fusion music styles.
Matt Brombley, Interim Hub Manager for Southampton Music Hub, says:
"From its origins in South Asia, Indian classical music has a rich and deep history that stretches back hundreds of years and reaches across the world. Through the annual Mela festival, and countless community events, Art Asia have vast experience of making Indian Classical Music accessible and enjoyable to anybody, whatever their background."
Tickets cost £7 for adults and £5 for under 16's. To book, please contact Art Asia on 023 8022 6212 or 07484097641
On Saturday 10 February 2018, Southampton Music hub and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra were joined by over 35 player, or all ages and abilities, for a Family Orchestra workshop at St Deny's Church Hall.
Made up of brand new players — including one young boy picking up his brand new trumpet for the first time — and experience players — including returning members from last year's workshops — the orchestra created a brand new piece of music together, inspired by the songs "We Are Family" and "Viva La Vida".
Following on from last week's Family Singing workshop, where more than 25 singers of all ages and abilities enjoyed singing together, this week, the Family Orchestra returns with a free music making workshop at St Deny's Church Hall.
Join members of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in a free Family Orchestra that is open to any one — any standard, any age, any instrument welcome.
Musicians can bring their own instrument if they have one, or can use one of the free percussion instruments provided.
This month's free song in the Everybody Sing Song Bank celebrates pancake day with a "Flip It!" rap. A new podcast episode also gives tips and tricks on how to get the most out of the song, and includes a warm up of the week and a simple, silly starter to help get the best out of young voices. The song also includes getting vocalists doing beatboxing, with the podcast giving an easy to follow guide on how to get started with this exciting vocal technique.
After an exciting start at the Music Fayre last weekend, Family Singing (formerly Choral Clans) returns this Saturday with a free singing workshop at St Deny's Church.
Join Fiona Funnell as she helps families of all shapes and sizes to feel happier and healthier through singing and making music together.
Singers of all ages and abilities are welcome.
There's no experience needed — just come along and join in!
Southampton Music Hub is now offering Musical Theatre singing workshops in partnership with Perform For Life, a performing arts education organisation based in the South / South West. In group workshops participants will sing popular Musical Theatre songs, learning singing technique, harmony singing and other elements of Musical Theatre, including movement and acting through song.
Katrina Simon, founder of Perform for Life, says:
"Perform For Life creates opportunities for children and young people in the city to take part in Musical Theatre tuition in a group setting, making it an affordable way for participants to learn new songs, pick up new skills and meet like-minded friends. Musical Theatre is a hugely popular genre and Perform For Life uses the storytelling nature of the genre to give children and young people performance skills they can use both on and off the stage."
Workshops will be at Regents Park Community College, every other Tuesday after school.
On Saturday 27 January 2018, over 400 children, young people and adults, from all across the city, came together at Central Hall to take part in free workshops and performances as part of Southampton Music Hub's Music Fayre.
The day opened with Acorn and Elgar string groups performing together for a growing audience of families, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Southampton, who then officially opened the Music Fayre. After the official opening, the Mayor and Mayoress joined Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and over 150 players of all ages and abilities, picking up a "Bamboo Tamboo", to be part of the biggest open-access, Family Orchestra the city has ever heard.
Throughout the day free music workshops and performances included choirs — Delicious Sounds, Family Singing, Sing Out and Sing Force — as well as community music groups and ensembles — Pulse8, Ukulele Groups, Folk Active and Family Rock Jam — and families were also greeted by performances from some of the city's most talented "Award Holder" musicians. Southampton Music Hub, Hayes Music, CoMA South and Friends of Southampton Youth Orchestra also hosted stalls on the day.
Matt Brombley, Interim Hub Manager for Southampton Music Hub says:
"It was an incredible pleasure to host the Music Fayre again this year: proudly sharing Southampton's diverse musical communities; and inspiring families to take part in making music together. With free Family Music workshops now travelling around the city throughout the Spring, families of all shapes and sizes can find out how making music helps make lives better!"
At the @MusicHubSouth Music Fayre launching the 2018 Southampton Family Orchestra! Celebrating BSO's 125th Anniversary year by creating a new song from scratch based around the numbers 125. #BSOParticipate pic.twitter.com/MxnPv0PfGX
— BSO (@BSOrchestra) January 27, 2018
On Saturday 27 January 2018, Central Hall plays host to a jam-packed programme of music workshops, performances and stalls at Southampton Music Hub's Music Fayre. Joined by hub partners as well as local music and arts organisations, families of all shapes and sizes can come and join in with music activities suitable for all ages and abilities.
This weekend, a free Family Singing workshop with Fiona Funnell (formerly 'Choral Clans') will join an exciting programme of workshops and performances at Southampton Music Hub's Music Fayre. Taking place on Saturday 27 January 2018, and running from 11am-3pm at Central Hall, the Music Fayre is jam packed with a wide variety of music making activities for families of all shapes and sizes.
Matt Brombley, Interim Hub Manager for Southampton Music Hub says:
"Singing is a great way for families and communities to come together, connect with others, and share the incredible health and wellbeing benefits that come from making music together. The Music Fayre this weekend will be a great opportunity to try the free Family Music opportunities that are taking place across the city in the coming months, leading to the city's first Family Proms in July."
