On Monday 28 March, Studio Two in MAST Mayflower Studios was treated to a fabulous diverse concert, featuring performances from Bella and Soton Voce, Twango, Los Twangolitos, and Jazz Workshop. The performance included a special arrangement of a Ukrainian Folk Song as performers stood united with Ukraine.

For many of the performers, this was their first concert experience and they played to a sold out audience of supportive friends and family.

Nia Collins, Director for Soton Voce, says:

“What a delight the evening was with such a fantastically eclectic programme which both participants and audience enjoyed!

Alex, a young musician on the night, says:

“It made me really proud to perform on stage. It was really good fun performing in front of people and the crowd went wild. I really enjoy it and love playing with other people. I love having friends outside school.”

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On Saturday 12 February 2022, 37 young musicians from Southampton Youth Strings (SYS) and Southampton Youth Wind Band (SYWB) took part in a workshop day led by London Sinfonietta. Participants worked on a creative piece and another contemporary piece and it was a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the country's leading performers on a repertoire written by living composers.

John Hanchett, director of SYWB, says:

“its been a great day allowing the participants to explore a new style of music that gives them freedom away from the constraints of the written music.”

Patrick from London Sinfonietta says:

“All the performers made huge progress on two pieces, one about rhythm and one about sustaining a beautiful sound. They got used to extreme ideas quickly and embraced the challenge. They gave a musical performance to an enthusiastic audience.”

Sophie, a member of SYWB, says:

“Who knew you could play music without music!'

Ellen, a young musician from the day, added:

“It is different from anything I've ever done before. It was really nice to play something in a different genre, and it wasn't possible to get it wrong!”

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.

With the new Spring Term, Southampton Music Hub is offering all schools in the city the opportunity to be take part in a huge, diverse range of music workshops, performances and experiences.

Alongside exciting new offers from the Everybody Sing and Digital Native Artists (DNA) programmes, this term’s offer includes:

• Taking part in the hub’s MAST Theatre Residency

• A concert for Key Stage 1 with Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia (SYCS)

• Proud to Be, History of Hip Hop

And loads more!

At the end of 2021, Southampton Music Hub’s Development Manager, Matt Brombley, looks back on the year past, to reflect on some of the most memorable moments and themes of the year.

“Back in July, we wrote about how, above all else, it was the resilience of the city’s young musicians, and the adults who support them, that shone through as the defining theme of the year so far. 

Now, in December, it is even more true than ever. 

Showing creativity and flexibility in the face of incredible challenges has had big rewards for us this year.  

Thanks to Paul Hamlyn Foundation, £65,000 is helping develop literacy in three city schools using rap and hip hop in an exciting new pilot project.

Thanks to funding from Youth Music, Southampton and IOW Music Hubs are working together with Dorset, Portsmouth as well as SoundStorm Music Hubs to help young people shape and lead new music-making opportunities.

The digital resources from Sign & Sing have continued to find new audiences, and support schools to keep singing in an inspiring and inclusive way, with over 4,000 views just in the last month!

Songwriting and music production continues to be a big hit with young people, and is helping them with their mental health, as well as helping to shape the future of music-making in the city.

Innovative programmes, working closely with schools and alternative provision settings, have seen more young musicians taking part in music, including a 28% increase in Looked After Children, a 44% increase in pupil premium children, and an 88% increase in young people with Special Educational Needs.

Finally, after a start to the year which once again saw live music shut down, we have seen live music bouncing back, and since September over 3000 children have taken part in live music-making in schools, and over 400 young people have taken part in 16 ensemble performances.”

Kath Page, Hub Manager, adds

“We’ve been through an incredibly challenging two years, but every part of our music hub has responded to these challenges with resilience, creativity and innovation, helping to make sure we make progress towards our goal: that every young person has access to the life-changing power of music, whatever their background or circumstances.”

On Wednesday 15 December the Southampton Music Services team took part in ‘trauma-informed practice” training with Rock Pool.

The session helped the team to understand what trauma is, how it can impact children and young people, and how they can adapt their music lessons in a trauma-informed way.

Matt Brombley, Development Manager, says:

“Today has been another important step on our journey to becoming a more inclusive music service, leading a more inclusive music hub. We have spent time thinking about how music lessons can be a place where young people develop inner strengths which help them become better musicians, but also, which can spill over into other areas of their lives.”

On Saturday 4 December 2021 a group of young producers, songwriters and musicians came together at MAST Music Studio to talk about the DNA Programme: where we’ve come from, and where we’re going. They created a new song — Right Track — and an accompanying zine which includes illustrated lyrics and a manifesto for the future.

They day was kindly funded by Music Mark and Arts Council England with additional support from Youth Music.

Two weeks ahead of the University of Southampton Voices’ (USV) Christmas concert, a school children’s choir had to reluctantly pull out due to school Covid restrictions. Harvey Brough (Professor at Southampton) approached the Southampton Music Hub to find some children to sing some key elements of their programme.

Needless to say, 18 young singers from a range of schools across the city rose to the challenge and attended two rehearsals before having the amazing experience of performing at the Turner Simms.

They were rehearsed by Nia Collins and produced a wonderful addition to the programme. They performed alongside professional soloists, Clara Sanabras and Christina Gill singing wonderful jazz arrangements of Christmas music arranged by Harvey Brough. All accompanied by a talented brass quintet.

It was a special occasion for the young singers to perform for the first time for many of them for two years. Also, it was no ordinary concert as it was a professional setting with gifted professionals too.

Finn McGill’s solo in Away in a Manger was memorable as was the two choir voices in the Carol of the Bells. The children opened at least three of the songs with their singing – no mean feat after just three rehearsals. They particularly enjoyed telling the tale “Down in yon forest” (the Renaissance English version of Corpus Christi carol arranged by Harvey). The children came away saying “when can we do this again?” Their confidence and joy infected the whole audience and was an excellent start to the festivities of Advent.

Nia Collins, says:

"I couldn't be more proud of what these children achieved in their performance on Friday night in such a short period of time, what incredible musicians they already are! It was such an amazing opportunity for them to perform at such a high level in a top concert venue with professional musicians and they rose to the occasion admirably"

On Saturday 2 October, children and their families got to take part in iPad music-making workshops with Southampton Music Hub as part of the Mayflower Studios’ ‘Festival of Loveliness’.

In the workshops, participants used Garageband to create electronic soundscapes inspired by movies and video games. Listen to some of the recordings below:

At the end of this school year, Southampton Music Hub is celebrating resilience. 

The past 16 months have been disruptive for everyone, and in the face of such challenging times, we have seen the city’s young musicians, and the adults who support them, show an incredible ability to adapt, to grow, to learn, and to reach out.

Music has motivated us to keep going, and it has also helped us to grow the personal qualities that are so valuable, not just because they make great musicians, but because they make us better people.

So at the end of this school year, we’re celebrating resilience.

Groove Foundation

Over the past year, Groove Foundation have been recording regular videos from their living rooms and bedrooms at home, to share on the music hub YouTube channel. 

Elliot, the lead singer, explains:

“It was a bit weird at first, because you don’t know what it will sound like until it all comes together. When I’m recording, it’s just me singing and I have no idea how it will sound. Knowing my performance was being recorded, I would work hard to get everything sounding just right. I would kick mum and dad out to the garden to make sure the sound recording was really clear, and keep retaking until I got it right.”

“Elliot really took the videos on as a personal mission” adds Groove Foundation band leader Aidan, who also edited together the band’s video performances.

The virtual performances had an unexpected benefit too, as Elliot explains:

“My friends often can’t come to our live performances, but they have been able to watch the videos all year. We get excited for the premier, and then it’s really fun to see it all sounding great together.”

Over the past year, Elliot has also been able to have music lessons to help develop her singing, thanks to funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund. Elliot tells us what a difference this has made:

“It’s been so cool to have singing lessons to help me improve. Being in Groove Foundation is what got me into singing properly, and now I’m getting better all the time.”

Last week, Groove Foundation returned to a real life stage, after over a year away, with an eight song set at The Point. Elliot tells us what it was like:

“It was really fun to be back. It’s the best feeling. The whole band is there, you can hear everyone again, and you turn around and can see everyone else enjoying themselves. I had to remember to look after my voice though. You can’t take a break like you can when you’re recording at home!”

And it’s not just on stage that being back with the band makes a huge difference. Elliot again:

“It’s so fun to see everyone, deciding the set list, making choices as a band, and helping each other out again. We’re there to support each other after the show too, to share the excitement, and chat about how things went.”

— Elliot, Singer

Matt Brombley, Development Manager for Southampton Music Hub adds:

“Elliot, and her bandmates in Groove Foundation are inspirational examples of the resilience so many young musicians have shown this year. We know how hard it has been, missing out on so many of the shared experiences that make music-making so enjoyable, but they have done an exceptional job keeping things going online, with their impressive video performances, and then returning to the stage this summer.”

It’s not just Groove Foundation that have been back on stage. This summer, music hub bands, orchestras and other groups have been rehearsing and performing together again. If you’d like to join a music group, then find out more on our ensembles page.

At the end of this school year, Southampton Music Hub is celebrating resilience. 

The past 16 months have been disruptive for everyone, and in the face of such challenging times, we have seen the city’s young musicians, and the adults who support them, show an incredible ability to adapt, to grow, to learn, and to reach out.

Music has motivated us to keep going, and it has also helped us to grow the personal qualities that are so valuable, not just because they make great musicians, but because they make us better people.

So at the end of this school year, we’re celebrating resilience.

John Hanchett conducting an inclusive orchestra at the Mayflower Theatre in 2019.

John Hanchett: one of many resilient music teachers

It has been a challenging year for everyone, but music teachers and leaders across the city have shown incredible resilience. 

Having moved music lessons online in the previous year, they moved them back into schools in September. They moved them back online in January, again, then back into school again in March. Every step along the way, teachers and music leaders have been determined to keep music-making going, wherever, and however they can.

One such teacher has been John HancHett. John teaches brass, cello, piano and leads some school orchestras, and has been at the heart of moving not just music lessons online, but virtual performances too.

In December, when we lived in tired restrictions, John arranged, virtually conducted, and edited together ‘A Million Dreams’ — bringing together over 50 young musicians of all ages and abilities, from across Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

John explains:

“It was important to me that everyone who wanted to take part was able to take part, so I created an arrangement with parts for all instruments and abilities. There was a lot to learn when bringing such a big virtual performance together for the first time, but I was delighted by how it came out. The joy came from featuring the vast array of instruments, played by young musicians who were carrying on playing through such a difficult time. I wanted them to have something to be really proud of at the end of a difficult year.”

In January, and throughout the Spring Lockdown, John, along with all Southampton Music Service Tutors, moved their music lessons online again, as they had done the previous year. 

“It was great to be able to get new learners face-to-face in September. And with so many new learners and those carrying on from last year, when lockdown two happened in January, we hit the ground running: teaching day one of lockdown. This was the pay off from all the groundwork laid last year: we never missed a week. This has been an awful year in so many ways, but it has also been a powerful year for teaching: it has been really motivating to learn new things and face new challenges in such difficult circumstances.”

And, when schools returned to full opening in Spring, lessons returned to face-to-face:

“Returning in the Spring was not always easy. There were restrictions around social distancing and school bubbles which have been huge logistical challenges. It was so wonderful to see those young musicians who could carry on online pick back up right away, and carry on making progress. But there were also challenges for those who hadn't been able to learn online, and had missed out on so much. I’m not alone here, I know many other teachers do this tooL we just give the extra time to make it work sometimes!”

And at the end of the year,  John brought together “Get Loud” a virtual performance which debuts on Friday night, with young musicians from Southampton Youth Brass Band and Kanes Hill School.

“Get Loud is only possible because of everything that we’ve learnt over the past year. It’s a performance that has the best of both worlds — online recordings, plus face-to-face music lessons, workshops and recordings, before coming back together in the virtual world. This is something far bigger and more ambitious than we’ve done before, and it brings together musicians in a way that would not have been possible just a year ago.”

At the end of this school year, Southampton Music Hub is celebrating resilience. 

The past 16 months have been disruptive for everyone, and in the face of such challenging times, we have seen the city’s young musicians, and the adults who support them, show an incredible ability to adapt, to grow, to learn, and to reach out.

Music has motivated us to keep going, and it has also helped us to grow the personal qualities that are so valuable, not just because they make great musicians, but because they make us better people.

So at the end of this school year, we’re celebrating resilience.

Songwriting and Production Mentoring

After Covid disrupted face-to-face music-making, and left young people missing out on so many normal opportunities, Southampton Music Hub responded with a brand new, online songwriting and music production offer, allowing young people to work with a new, more diverse team, of talented young producers to write songs, make beats and rap.

The young people — many of whom have been offered the opportunity to take part from their social worker, NHS team or other support network — have been developing their skills, expressing themselves in the tracks they write, and now, are helping to choose what the programme looks like going forward.

Chris a young producer and songwriter, explains why he wrote his new song, ‘Avalanche’.

“Avalanche is a song about going through struggles of life and difficult times. I wanted to write this song to reach out to other people going through a hard time, to let them know they’re not alone. I’m going to be going into the studio in September to record the full version, including working with a singer to add the chorus.”

— Chris, Young Songwriter

Hear a short clip from the demo for ‘Avalanche’:

“Forty thoughts a second, can’t hold my mind
Spitting these rhymes, ahead of the times
Iceberg with a dark side, on the flip side, I’m a nice guy
Like a cuppa tea, steam floats to the sky
Hanging off a balcony
Cold air made the heat die”

— Lyrics from Verse 1 of Avalanche by Chris

Matt Brombley, Development Manager for Southampton Music Hub, says:

“From the team supporting them, to the young people taking part, everyone involved has shown incredible resilience. We know that music is a powerful way to explore and express your emotions. This year, more than ever, that creative outlet has been a place we see young people rise to the challenge of learning new skills, facing up to their emotional experiences, and turning that into exciting new music.”

Ahead of UK Music’s “MAPping the Future” conference on the 16 June — an exciting programme of free online sessions for young people aged 16+ interested in a career in the music industry — Southampton Music Hub are sharing some links to help young people in the city explore a future in the music and creative industries.

As Matt Brombley, Development Manager, explains:
”Young people on our mentoring programme are asking us how they can set themselves up for a future career in music, and , with some help from Oli Morris at UK Music, we’ve pulled together some tools that will help them to plan and take their next steps towards a successful future as creative professionals.”

Find Your Role

Use this website from Creative & Cultural Skills to help identify the perfect future role for you!

Careers Information

Use this pack from UK Music to help you identify and plan your next steps.

MAPping the Future Conference

Get Support from a Mentor

Southampton Music Hub’s mentoring team can help you develop your skills, and move forward on your musical journey.

Over the past three months, online songwriting and production mentoring sessions have been a huge success, helping young people write songs, create beats, and produce their own tracks.

For some of the young people taking part, the process of writing songs has not just been about the music at the end, but about finding ways to better understand their mental health journeys, and, with the help of their mentors, write lyrics which help make sense of some of the struggles of the past year.

“Mentoring sessions are a relaxed space to try new things — I’m free to be myself and express my ideas. I was anxious when I first started, but the mentors are super chill and helpful.”

— Chris, young songwriter

As Chris, one young songwriter explains: ”Mentoring sessions are a relaxed space to try new things — I’m free to be myself and express my ideas. I was anxious when I first started, but the mentors are super chill and helpful.”

Matt Brombley, Development Manager for Southampton Music Hub adds: ”It’s been so powerful to see young people discover songwriting as a way of processing and understanding their thoughts, feelings and circumstances. I know that for me, songwriting has been a place where I can get lost when life feels overwhelming; a place where I can say with music, what feels impossible to say with words. It is so exciting to see young people and their mentors find purpose in sharing that process together.”

The Everybody Sing Song Bank has loads of great songs to help children and young people feel healthier and happier through singing together, and this Mental Health Awareness Week, here’s a few highlights:

Health and Wellbeing Songs

Emotional Literacy Songs

Growth Mindset Songs

This Easter Holiday, Southampton Music Hub’s DNA Programme is offering young people the chance to learn how to freestyle with one of the UK’s top battle rap MC’s, Tenchoo.

The virtual, interactive masterclass will help young people — and especially those who usually get free school meals — to find out more about rhythm, flow and sporadic rhymes, then have the chance to put their new skills to test.

The workshops, suitable for those in KS3 and up (aged 11+), is available free of charge thanks to Southampton City Council and the Holiday Activity Fund.

This term the schools up and down the country have been delighted to share in the successful 10 Minute Sign & Sing project.  The project has seen sign ups from as far afield as Rotherham, London, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire plus many local schools both in Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

Currently the hub is collecting videos of schools, classes, bubbles and individuals signing along to a song from the songbank, to be stitched together into a digital premiere performance on Monday 29th March over on the hub YouTube channel.

Participants will also be given a link to participate in a new sign and sing workshop which will be on the hub YouTube channel just before the premiere at 1.30pm on the same day.  

The deadline for video submissions is Wednesday 17th March but if you’re not yet signed up to participate in this there’s still time! Whether you’re a school bubble or an individual learning at home in isolation or a whole school participating you can get involved!

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:

“We know that currently schools are finding it challenging to find larger scale performance activities that pupils can safely get involved in and this project gives you the perfect vehicle to do so. Not only are we taking the hassle of the digital editing off your hands but we’re also offering schools the opportunity to come together and do something as a community post lockdown and start to build those vital connections again for children and young people”

In 2021, Southampton Music Hub is launching the Digital Native Artists Programme: an exciting approach, which sees young people empowered to take control of shaping, and leading, the music-making they want to be part of.

The programme is being run by two new, Digital Music Engagement Workers — Sheldon and Gurmaan — young digital artists themselves, who have been recruited thanks to new funding from Arts Council England. They’re being supported by the hub’s wider team, including music service tutors and hub partner organisations, to inspire young people to explore new genres of music, and empower them to create their own musical futures.

The programme has kicked off this month with two new opportunities:

1. Online Production and Songwriting: giving young people access to online tools to create new music alongside mentoring support to develop their songwriting and production skills.

Places are limited for now — and invites to take part have already been sent out by virtual school, social workers and more, making sure the young people who often miss out, get the first shot — but anyone interested in taking part can register their interest right now.

Listen to “Why So Lonely” by one of our young songwriters:

2. TikTok Tutorials: quick and easy videos to get young people inspired and skilled up.

These videos are quick to watch, but share tips, tricks and inside secrets on the world of songwriting, music production and more. You can subscribe, or watch online, and leave suggestions for videos you’d like to see in the comments.

We Need You

We’re not stoping there. Coming soon are masterclasses, workshops and more. But, we want to hear from the young and aspiring producers, songwriters and artists out there, so that they can shape, and even lead, the music-making opportunities the project offers.

Find Out More About The DNA Programme

Young musicians taking part in a music project with Portsmouth Music Hub

Children and young people who are currently missing out on making music will have the opportunity to take part in, and even lead, new music-making activities thanks to an exciting new project from the  South West Coastal Music Hub Alliance, made possible thanks to new funding from Youth Music.

The five music hubs in the alliance — Southampton; Isle of Wight; Dorset; Portsmouth; 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. 

Thanks to the support of five new “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 help more children and young people access music in the future.

This initiative is supported by Youth Music, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Matt Brombley, Development Manager at Southampton and IOW Music Hubs, says:
“This is an excellent opportunity, and we are so grateful to Youth Music for making it possible. It might be because of where they live, their background, or the challenging life circumstances they find themselves in, but we know that too many children and young people miss out on the incredible power of music to make their lives better. This initiative will help to change that. We want to hear the voices of the children and young people who miss out on music, and, more importantly, we want them to help us shape and change the music making opportunities available to them, and others like them, in the future.”

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Job Opportunities

The music hubs that form the South West Coast Music Hub Alliance are looking to recruit Youth Voice Engagement Workers to help make our music hubs more inclusive, by engaging, listening to, and responding to the voices of under-represented young people: helping them shape, and lead, the music-making opportunities available to them.

On Sunday 7 February 2021, at 2pm, Art Asia hosts an online celebration of the community art project, ‘Belonging’.

This free event will feature stories, poems, and the debut of a brand performance of ‘Naya Rasta — Sailing Towards a New Horizon’: a digital collaboration made up of video performances from musicians across the city. Included among the contributions will be iPad performances from Matt Brombley, who lead’s the music hub’s technology provision.

Matt Brombley says:
”Even though recorded alone at home, this was such an exciting project to take part in. I can’t wait to hear the ways other performers have, from their homes, re-imagined and been inspired by the music and the stories Art Asia have shared. To be able to be a part of something with others, to work on something together even though we are apart, is so wonderful.”