Posts in Music in Schools
South Coast Music Partnership Conference 2025
South Coast Music Partnership Conference 2025

Innovation: Driving Music Forward

Join us on 23 January 2025, at the iconic Portsmouth Guildhall for an inspiring day of exploration and collaboration at South Coast Music Partnership’s Music Education Conference. This year's theme, Innovation: Driving Music Forward, invites educators and music practitioners to engage in meaningful discussion and, explore new innovative ideas and transformative practices that are shaping the future of music education.

Strands of sessions across the day will be suitable for EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 along with specialist sessions on vocal, curriculum and SEND. You can explore the sessions and full schedule on the South Coast Music Partnership website.

The dynamic line-up of presenters and workshop leaders, drawn from across the music education sector, will provide invaluable insights and hands-on experiences designed to ignite creativity and enhance your teaching practice. Whether you're a seasoned music educator or just starting out, this conference is an opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, share innovative strategies, and explore new approaches to fostering musical talent in the classroom.

Don't miss this chance to be part of a vibrant community dedicated to advancing music education. Together, we can drive music forward!

Tickets are £90 with lunch included or £50 for students - schools will be invoiced for your attendance after booking so please have the details of your finance contacts when completing the booking form.

Thursday 23 January 2025

Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, UK

Find Out More & Sign Up
Music in the Community, Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamSouth Coast Music Partnership, Conference, CPD
Concerts in November & December!

A round up of the concerts and performances taking place through the end of November and into December!

Find full details and how to book for each event through the link to the listing on our events page.

November

December

  • 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!

  • 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!

Music in the Community, Music in Schools, Family Music, EnsemblesHannah BuckinghamSouthampton, IOW
Southampton & IOW Music’s String Extravaganza
Southampton & IOW Music’s String Extravaganza

Do you play the violin, viola, cello or double bass? Would you like to make music with other young people? Then the Southampton & IOW Music’s String Extravaganza is the place for you.

The event will be at Cantell School from 1.30-3.30pm on Sunday 24 November.

This is a FREE event run with support from the Friends of Southampton Youth Orchestras (FSYO) and is open to string players who have been learning for a year up to approximately Grade 1 standard.

Please contact music@southampton.gov.uk to sign up.

Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamOpportunity, Strings, Southampton
An Audience With... Assembly Resources

As part of our ‘An Audience With…’ series, in which young people have interviewed music professionals including Sam Lee, Carducci Quartet and Camilla George, we have developed a series of Assembly resources to accompany these interviews.

These powerpoint resources include prompts, questions, suggested activities and further listening linked to the artists featured, to bring the video interviews to life for your weekly whole school assembly.

You can now download the powerpoint assembly resources to accompany the first three interviews.

An Audience With… Assembly Resources

Find out more
Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamAn Audience With, Training and Resources
Retelling Our Stories - Black History Month 2024
Retelling Our Stories - Black History Month 2024

We are so excited to have collaborated with local artists Shannon B and producer Sera Bless for 2024’s Black History Month song!

2024’s Black History Month song is based on a theme of Reclaiming Narratives; showcasing untold stories, correcting historical inaccuracies, challenging the narratives that have often overlooked the contributions and achievements of Black individuals.

The song ‘Retelling our Stories’ is now live in our Songbank. To accompany the song, we have made a KS2/KS3 music curriculum resource.

This resource includes outlining the topic, researching the themes and writing your own verse to fit with the existing chorus and example verse.

Find the song and curriculum resource in our songbank via the button below.

Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamSongbank, Black History Month, Songbank Resource, KS2, KS3
Music In The City 2024
Music In The City 2024

Southampton and Isle of Wight Music were delighted to be part of the Music in the City celebrations over the weekend of 28th and 29th September running a stage from King John's Palace at the Tudor House Museum on the afternoon of Saturday 28th September. 

Over four hours we were able to showcase the incredible talents of the city's young people including the hub rock bands and bands from Upper Shirley High School and Redbridge College and some of the brilliant artists from our Stage Door Rising Stars series. 

Along with the performances in Southampton's old town, hub bands and local young musicians were also taking part in the hugely popular open mic sessions run at The Old Chemist in Bitterne which was another excellent and busy night of performances by young people!

Nia Collins, Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Strategic Programme Manager:

"It has been so exciting for us to be able to give young people the opportunity to be part of this city-wide event and reach new audiences who have been blown away by the level of musical talent these students have shown this weekend!"

A huge thanks to all the music hub staff and parents, friends and families who supported this event, the Tudor House for hosting us in such an amazing venue and Music in the City.

Below is a 360 video and photographs from the event!

Music in Schools, Music in the Community, EnsemblesHannah BuckinghamPhoto Gallery, Southampton
Schools Hip Hop Workshop & Performance day!

Students from Redbridge Community College, Redbridge Primary and St Patrick's Catholic Primary all took part in a fantastic hip hop workshop and performance day.

Each school group participated in a rap lyric writing workshop with MC Larry Kazingizi, and vocal workshop with Shannon B & J Fashole-Luke and a freestyle session with rapper TenChoo and music producer Karan Master.

The music hub commissioned a song from local producer Sara and Shannon B for the Black History Month theme this year - Saluting Our Sister which all the students learned in their workshop and write lyrics for.

Year 5 & 6 students really enjoyed the opportunity to explore their feeder secondary school and student helpers from Redbridge College were a huge support during the workshops and helping everyone around the school too.

All the elements were brought together for a performance featuring the workshop leaders learning about a history of hip hop from the female perspective and bringing all the parts of the song together live on stage with all of the audience joining in too.  This included an unplanned freestyle rap battle between schools, an amazing year 5 beatboxer and everyone joining in for the final song including two part harmony, live keyboards and percussion!

'Thanks so much to you both for organising such a great day. The children were buzzing and many said it was the 'best school trip ever!!'

- Teacher St Patrick's Primary

Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamPhoto Gallery
Opera Up Close: Schools Recording Day
Opera Up Close: Schools Recording Day

Here you can find some footage from our incredible schools recording day with Opera Up Close and composer Michael Betteridge. 

Three schools from across Southampton; St Patricks Catholic Primary, Weston Park Primary and St Monica's Primary School took part in this amazing session and their voices will be heard in the new prelude to Vaughan-William's opera Riders to the Sea staged by Opera Up Close next year.

Music in SchoolsHannah BuckinghamOpera Up Close
An Audience With... Sam Lee
An Audience With... Sam Lee

Next up in our series of An Audience With… is FolkActive Youth Ensemble’s interview with Mercury Prize nominated singer, performer and writer Sam Lee.

An Audience With… is an interactive youth led experience for schools, allowing children and young people to take the lead on planning and creating content and an opportunity to interact and interview music industry professionals and performers. This project has been made in partnership with Turner Sims.

It is a fantastic vehicle for bringing the music industry into the classroom, inspiring pupils to work within our industry and developing aspirations for the future. This project has been specifically created to support teachers and young people to understand more about the many roles and pathways into the music industry.

Sam Lee is a Mercury Prize nominated Singer, Performer and Writer. As a song collector and conservationist, his music has its roots in traditional folk song but his inventive and original sound breaks the boundaries between folk and contemporary music. He is a founding member of Music Declares Emergency, a group that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency.

Ensembles, Music in Schools, Music in the CommunityHannah BuckinghamAn Audience With, Training and Resources
An Audience With... Camilla George & Carducci Quartet

Across 2024 we are releasing An Audience With… a series of youth-led video interviews with music industry professionals. The first two interviews with musicians and performers Camilla George and Carducci Quartet are both live on our YouTube channel. More will be released throughout the year.

An Audience With… is an interactive youth led experience for schools, allowing children and young people to take the lead on planning and creating content and an opportunity to interact and interview music industry professionals and performers. This project has been made in partnership with Turner Sims.

It is a fantastic vehicle for bringing the music industry into the classroom, inspiring pupils to work within our industry and developing aspirations for the future. This project has been specifically created to support teachers and young people to understand more about the many roles and pathways into the music industry.

Camilla George is a visionary saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator. She answers questions about working in the music industry from Southampton Music Hub's next generation of jazz musicians. Camilla's strong cultural roots and love of fusing African and Western Music has informed her own unique style. Her music is a hypnotising blend of Afrofuturism, hip hop and jazz. 

Carducci Quartet is an award-winning string quartet, internationally acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and versatile ensembles of today. Young musicians from Elgar Strings get their questions answered by professional musicians from the world renowned Carducci String Quartet.

Music in Schools, Music in the Community, EnsemblesHannah BuckinghamAn Audience With, Training and Resources
Schools Christmas Concert at O2 Guildhall Southampton
Music in Schools, Music in the CommunityHannah BuckinghamPhoto Gallery
Young people perform and share their perspectives at Music Mark Conference

On Tuesday 28 November 2023, four young people from Southampton took to the main stage in the ballroom at the Ageas Bowl to share music and a presentation at the national Music Mark Conference for music educators.

Lorenza opened the conference with a performance of an original song she wrote and produced, and was followed by rapper Tommy T.

To explore the theme of “Who’s music education is it anyway?” Lorenza was joined by Carla and Sukhi in a panel discussion with Matt Brombley (Development and Inclusion Manager for Southampton and IOW Music Hub) and Sarah Mcwyatt (NYMAZ). The presentation also included a special video appearance from Ben (a young music journalist from NYMAZ) who answered questions from Carla.

The panel got to explore a range of themes, including:

  • the importance of giving young people more choice

  • making music education more relevant, reflective and representative

  • empowering young people with a wide range of skills and experiences

The session was part of our Youth Voice Network project, kindly funded by Youth Music.

Later on in the day, Nia Collins (Southampton and IOW Music Hub) and rap artist Rob Bradley also go to share the impact of the Rap and Literacy project, kindly funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Alongside a panel of other innovative rap and hip hop initiatives such as Spit Game, Future Music Makers and Kenny Baraka a discussion about the importance of relevency and authenticity in the music curriculum and as a progression pathway for young people is so important.

Music in the Community, Music in SchoolsMatt BrombleyYouth Voice, Music Mark, Photo Gallery
Solent Shanty Sing

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!”

Music in the Community, Music in SchoolsMatt BrombleyHub Partners, Stadium Tour, Photo Gallery
From the IOW: Solent Shanty Sing at Ventnor Botanic Gardens
From the IOW: Solent Shanty Sing at Ventnor Botanic Gardens

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!”

Music in SchoolsMatt BrombleyIOW, Photo Gallery
Calling Young People interested in sharing and shouting about music
Calling Young People interested in sharing and shouting about music

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

Music in Schools, Music in the CommunityMatt Brombleynew music
Girls Make Music: a new production collective for girls
Girls Make Music: a new production collective for girls

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.

Music in the Community, Music in SchoolsMatt BrombleyGirls Make Music, Music Technology
Southampton Music Hub gives Secondary School pupils a chance to showcase their talent at MAST Mayflower Studios

Southampton Secondary Schools were invited by Southampton Music Hub to programme a whole evening of performances by their pupils in Studio 1 at MAST Mayflower Studios.  Over 100 pupils from 6 schools across the city and city wide ensembles put together a memorable evening of music with a huge range of repertoire and instrumental line ups.  From Rock Bands, Jazz Groups, Clarinet ensembles and soloists with their own original material it really was clear how incredibly talented the city’s young musicians are.

Hosted by Musician, poet and performer Ricky Tart hosted the event which was enthusiastically attended by the Lord Mayor and local councillors along with parents, friends and family with fantastic support from music hub partners MAST Mayflower Studios.  

“It is such a great experience for the students to perform in the venue and also to see what other students of their age are working on.” Gemma Dyne, Head of Music Cantell School

“Thank you so much for organising such a lovely event, it was such good fun for us and the students!” Jorge May, Head of Music St George’s Catholic College

Nia Collins, Southampton Music Hub Programmes and Events Manager, says:

“It has been a privilege to have been able to provide a literal platform for these young people to have the experience of playing and performing on a professional stage such as this one.  I was blown away by the standard of playing and performance across the evening and the audience and the students were so polite, positive and supportive of each other throughout which was so lovely to see.”

Music in Schools, Music in the CommunityMatt BrombleyPhoto Gallery