Our partners Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra recently provided a special performance and workshop for pupils at Dover Park Primary School in Ryde.
The children loved the workshops and they were a perfect link to the tuition the children will be having from January. They left inspired and excited for their lessons!
Read the full article below.
Read the full article
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Captivates Pupils At Dover Park Primary School
Join students and teachers from Platform One - College of Music to hear performances from bands, young people and learn lots about events, sound, music technology and jobs in the music industry. This will be happening in April - July 2025.
Details of spaces available will come directly from Platform One to your settings so this is one to look out for!
The stage is set for BandStorm 2025 – SoundStorm’s battle of the bands competition in partnership with Absolute Music and the The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth (Bournemouth Uni). A highlight of the SoundStorm calendar, our annual battle of the bands has brought to the stage a wonderful array of talented performers, bands and vocalists and we are excited to be announcing the details for this year’s BandStorm competition!
For the first time we open this competition to young people from across BCP , Dorset , Southampton, Portsmouth , Isle Of Wight and the surrounding area!
Deadline to apply: 13/12/24
Bring your sound, your energy, and your passion. This is YOUR moment!
Tag your bandmates and share the news! Let’s make some noise!
You must be Y9 – 13, at school, college or home educated.
Apply now (via the button below) and let the world hear what you’ve got!
The schools came together to take part in singing workshops, a tour of the house and some Victorian Christmas Crafts topped off by a fantastic performance in the Durbar Room where Queen Victoria would have enjoyed listening to her own children singing. A beautifully decorated Osborne House was a stunning backdrop for the day along with the amazing staff and volunteers from English Heritage who helped the day to run smoothly.
In addition to this students from Carisbrooke College were invited to sing for guests on a tour of the house in the week prior.
“Just wanted to say a big thank you for today. The children had a wonderful time and they just beam after these experiences!”
- Emma Millard Music Lead at Broadlea Primary
Find full details and how to book for each event through the link to the listing on our events page.
Monday 25 November: Elgar, Twango and Los Twangolitos live at Cantell! — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Thursday 28 November: Airplay & Boom! live at Cantell School! — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Saturday 30 November: BSO On Your Doorstep: Curious Creatures Family Concert — Southampton Music Hub [Isle of Wight]
Come and join 14 BSO musicians, a young Isle of Wight string group, and someone to guide you through the music – this relaxed performance is perfect for young audiences going to a concert for the first time. The afternoon will involve some listening, some participatory elements, and you’ll be sure to experience a mixture of styles – from Bjork to Moana, as well as relaxing classics. Designed with families in mind, let the music take you from forests to oceans and explore the curious creatures of the natural world.
Saturday 30 November: Gig Night — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Southampton and IOW Music are proud to partner with the Gig Night Charity, providing young artists with a regular platform to perform and develop their music and confidence. Gig night runs monthly at the Old Chemist engaging young musicians from all over Southampton. SIOW Groove Bands, Groove Merchant and Groove Syndicate, feature in the lineup.
Sunday 1 December: Southampton Youth Orchestra live at Turner Sims — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Southampton Youth Orchestra’s first concert of the season is an all-French programme with a Spanish twist, featuring Delibes’ Coppelia Suite, Chabrier’s Espana and an exciting performance of Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnol, featuring the debut concerto performance of one of our own young violinists.
Wednesday 4 December: Southampton University Symphony Orchestra at Turner Sims: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Southampton University Symphony Orchestra and Turner Sims would like to invite you to a free performance featuring Leonard Bernstein's thrilling ‘Symphonic Dances from West Side Story’! This performance is perfect for local families with children up to 15 and is an ideal opportunity for young people learning an instrument, who are interested in learning an instrument, or anyone looking for a fun evening out!
Thursday 5 December: Schools Christmas Concert at O2 Guildhall Southampton: featuring SYWB — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Join us at Southampton Guildhall to continue the Southampton Schools Music Association of schools Christmas events at Southampton Guildhall this Christmas! Featuring music from Jo Downs new Christmas Songbook and narrative script, loosely based on the Nativity story. Southampton Youth Wind Band will also be performing in our Christmas Schools’ Celebration Concert.
Friday 6 December: The University of Southampton Voices: The Bells of Paradise at Turner Sims — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
The University of Southampton Voices present a sparkling Christmas concert. The Bells of Paradise is a collection of carols and Christmas songs from around the world and through the ages. For this performance, USV are joined by children’s choirs from local schools, organised and supported by Southampton & Isle of Wight Music.
Saturday 7 December: Southampton Youth Brass Band live at Exbury Gardens! — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Southampton Youth Brass Band will be performing at Exbury Gardens.
Monday 9 December: Pulse8 Open Rehearsal for Family & Friends! — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Pulse8 will be having an ‘Open Rehearsal’ at Richard Taunton Sixth Form College. This is an opportunity for Family & Friends to watch our young members practise together. Parents & friends are welcome to attend the whole rehearsal.
Wednesday 11 December: Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia live at Thornden Hall — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Join Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia, Southampton's largest youth orchestra, for an evening of festive favourites from our most loved Christmas films. Programmes to include everything from Aladdin to White Christmas, along with wonderful festive lighting. Fun for all the family - not to be missed!
Thursday 12 December: Southampton Youth Brass Band perform at Ocean Terminal! — Southampton Music Hub [Southampton]
Led by Young Sounds UK via their Connect programme, up to 1,000 young people from low-income families will receive targeted support to progress their musical talent and interests.
We are excited for the opportunity to work with Young Sounds UK on their brilliant Connect Programme. Over the next four years we will be supporting young people from Southampton and Isle of Wight to continue their musical journey through fully funded lessons, music making opportunities, and so much more.
Find out more at: youngsounds.org.uk/music-opportunities-pilot
Are you interested in taking part in music lessons or music groups?
Find out more about the opportunities we offer, via the buttons below!
This is a very simple samba taster course with an emphasis on team building and communication for anyone 16+ living on the Isle of Wight, looking for work or to improve their employability skills.
In this course we aim to improve:
concentration
confidence
communication and listening skills
teamwork and leadership skills
In a fun, friendly and supportive environment!
Dates: Wednesday 18th September 2pm - 4pm for 6 weeks
Location: St Johns church hall, High Park Road, Ryde PO33 1BX (accessible venue with parking available)
For more information and to book your place, please email us: info@yes-creativebeats.co.uk or visit our facebook page via the button below.
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!”
Isle of Wight Music Hub is delighted to have partnered with English Heritage again to provide schools with the opportunity to perform at Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s famed residence in East Cowes.
Eight schools and over 350 children visited the house on Tuesday 29th November to take part in a carousel of activities including Victorian Christmas Cracker making, a tour of the house and a choir performance for the other schools and parents who attended with them. The performances took place in the incredible Durbar Room and the children were singing in the exact spot where Queen Victoria’s own children would perform for her at Christmas.
We were treated to some magical performances from sixth form students from Medina and Carisbrooke College right the way down to Key Stage 1 pupils from island primaries and everything in between.
“The children loved it, it was a lovely thing to do especially with the mix of crafts, a tour and singing. Thanks for arranging these opportunities for our children, they really do make a difference” Graham Andre Assistant Head Lanesend Primary School
Isle of Wight Music Hub are delighted to have been able to programme 6 hours on the Carnivale Stage at Rhythm Tree again after a three year haitus. The Hub worked in partnership with the Rhythm Tree Festival organisers, Shademakers (who decorated and dressed the stage and area so spectacularly) and schools to allow them the opportunity to perform at an international festival!
Twelve schools and over 300 pupils took it in turns to perform with everything from ukuleles, glockenspiels, djembes and traditional rock bands represented and pupils from Year 3 up to Year 11. The festival organisers and production team Widget built a custom ramp onto the stage to ensure that pupils from St George’s School were able to access the event and perform too. Young people performed to a fantastic audience made up of enthusiastic parents and festival goers who braved hotter than 30 degree temperatures at the new Festival site at Sticelett Farm.
Nia Collins, IOW Music Hub Lead said:
“It really was incredible to watch the depth and breadth of musical excellence happening across the island across all ages and abilities. For the music Hub to have been able to give them the opportunity and a literal platform to do so along with our partners was an honour. I hope that the young people that took part today will remember this experience for a very long time to come!”
On Friday 20 May one of the biggest ever Isle of Wight Music Hub events was staged, in partnership with Shademakers, the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, English Heritage and Brown’s Golf Course.
Over 900 pupils from nine schools came together for the final Biosphere Big Sing event following weeks of workshops and rehearsals which involved thousands of children of all ages. The event itself took place on Brown’s Golf Course in Sandown and beautiful flags and set dressing were provided by IOW international carnival company Shademakers.
Over 250 members of an impromptu audience made up of parents, locals and councillors were treated to songs about the island’s unique Unesco Biosphere Reserve status. Songs were especially written for the project by Hub composer Jo Downs. The catchy Cheer for the Biosphere featured lyrics listing the island’s incredible biodiversity and heritage and Protect Our Island used the 15 UN sustainability goals as it’s inspiration.
The project celebrated the Isle of Wight AONB team’s incredible success in garnering Unesco Biosphere Reserve Status and as part of this project they went into schools to do assemblies to make the young people aware of what that means with a call to action to ensure we look after it in the future!
One young performer says:
“this event just shows how important it is to solve problems together.”
Richard Grogan from the AONB adds:
“The island is in your hands, you are the future.”
Nia Collins, IOW Hub Lead says:
“What has been so incredible about this project is the level of collaboration between IOW organisations from English Heritage running free workshops on an environmental theme at Osborne House, the AONB getting out of their comfort zone and into the classroom(!) to spread the word of Biosphere to Shademakers and Brown’s providing us with the perfect setting. Alongside that the schools, teachers and pupils that have engaged with the project and taken on board the themes and resources and will continue to make use of them in the future. This enriched offer to our schools has really helped to make this project something larger, with a lasting legacy and certainly a day we won’t all forget in a hurry!”
On Tuesday 7 June schools and young people from across the Isle of Wight came together at Osborne House for an outdoor concert celebrating the Platinum Jubilee. A wonderfully wide-ranging programme included rock bands from secondary schools, primary choirs, the Isle of Wight Music Centre ensembles and soloists performing in the carriage ring outside the main house while spectators sat on the Durbar lawn having their picnics.
In the run up to this project the Isle of Wight Music Hub worked with many primary schools and the home learning network to teach our specially commissioned Jubilee Song It’s The Platinum Jubilee composed by Jo Downs. The concert closed with a massed sung performance of this song with 100s of students from primary schools represented singing together in this appropriately Royal setting.
This event was organised by the IOW Music Hub and the Education team at English Heritage with sound a production support from IOW based production company Widget.
Nia Collins, IOW Hub Lead says:
“Well I think we can safely say that the future of music on the island is in good hands! We have seen such an incredible array of musical talent on display this evening and there’s something very special about being able to do this in such a magical and historically significant setting as Osborne House”
