Girls Make Music is back again this month with another session to explore music production, recording, songwriting and live events!
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!
Young musicians: you can get the support you need to succeed this September and beyond thanks to Southampton Music Hub.
We have four, free, open-access offers this year:
Music Production Collective
Monthly sessions for beat-makers, producers and songwriters to collaborate. Ages 11–18.Girls Make Music
Monthly sessions for girls to explore music production, songwriting and live events. Ages 11–18.FLOW
Saturday rap group sessions to tighten your rhythms, sharpen your rhymes, and improve your flow. Ages 11–16.Mix’zine
A connected community for music, events and support: created by young people for young people. Ages 13–25.
There’s also:
All part of Southampton Music Hub’s exciting Digital Native Artists programme!
If there has been one theme across the past year of music at Southampton and IOW Music Hubs, it’s been Children and Young People taking the lead. Over the past year, we’ve seen young people using their musical talents to give back to their communities as well as shaping and leading the music-making opportunities available to them.
From Girls Make Music, to Concerts, to festivals, to Rap, to showcases, to new funding for young people, to a youth-led music zine and more, this year has been all about young people taking the lead.
As the team take a break over the summer holiday, we recommend checking out some news stories from this year and looking at some of the groups and support opportunities picking back up in September,
Over the past year, nearly 400 young musicians have taken part in 35 ensemble performances — that's almost one concert each week.
Performances have included two world premiers of pieces written by two budding Southampton composers, performances by the youngest players some of whom have been playing less than a year through to blockbuster performances at prestigious venues like MAST Studios and Southampton Guildhall. The programmes have included popular classics, hits from stage and screen, traditional pieces through to modern pieces like Venables, Dutch Courage where players are given the shape of the music and they decide how to interpret this through to the rarely performed Tolga Kashif's Queen Symphony calling for a large orchestra and choir. Performances throughout the year have been exemplary.
"That was epic" - performer
"I was so scared, but I did it and now I'm proud of myself" - performer
"Throughout the year there has been awesome work from all of Southampton's young musicians and the ensemble staff and volunteers. The quality of performing from our groups is simply staggering, at times it is hard to believe those taking part are still at school or college. We are so proud of each and everyone of our performers" Zoe Hunting, Ensemble Manager
On Saturday 1 July, the FolkActive Youth Ensemble set off for London's Cecil Sharp House to take part in the Youth Folk Takeover: an eagerly anticipated celebration of youth folk music, hosted by the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Alongside the London Youth Folk Ensemble and other talented friends, these young musicians showcased their passion and skill, and made themselves, FolkActive, and Southampton Music Hub proud.
Ensemble members Hannah and Cate had this to say about the day:
The Takeover was amazing. We performed a concert set during the break of the ceilidh, allowing the dancers to get their breath back, which was so great. The other ensembles were really supportive and fun, it was such a great atmosphere. Cecil Sharp House is a centre for all folk throughout England, as the EFDSS are based there and so there was lots of folk-music-based artwork, as well as the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, a massive library of folk songs and tunes. The highlight of our day was the massed ensemble piece at the end of the concert. Camilo Menjura, a tutor from the London Youth Folk Ensemble led it and did a fantastic job of bringing all the different groups together. We created a beautiful soundscape including some improvised solos, which were incredible and truly showcased the amount of young talent we were working with. We loved it!
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!”
Southampton Music Hub is bringing a free Open Studio, Instrument Petting Zoo and Bamboo Tamboo workshop to the programme of the exciting new festival What’s Next Southampton?
What’s Next Southampton?
Free summer festival for children, young people and families
Saturday 24 June 12 – 6pm | Guildhall Square and Cultural Quarter Venues, SO14 7DU
What’s Next Southampton? is a free arts, fashion and music festival for children, young people and families. Enjoy indie, rap and R&B on the main stage. Join in with African Drumming, Bollywood Dancing, creative writing, theatre and music across the cultural quarter. Take part in a collaborative mural and join us for a fashion show finale!
Booking is now open for What’s Next Southampton?
Free summer festival for children, young people and families
Saturday 24 June 12 – 6pm
Guildhall Square and Cultural Quarter Venues, SO14 7DU
What’s Next Southampton? is a free arts, fashion and music festival for children, young people and families. Free activities and performances will spread across the square and Cultural Quarter venues.
The line-up is brought to you by six Cultural Connectors, aged 17-26 years. They’ve explored what young people want in the city and created a colourful festival.
Enjoy indie music from Belle Dame Band as well as rap and R&B from Amy Da Silva, Leah Tolksdorf Music, and LawZzy.
Have a go at African Drumming or Bollywood Dancing. Step inside an inflatable ‘brain dome’. Join in with creative writing, theatre and music workshops. Build your contacts with creative careers talks and networking. Or test your balance with a skateboarding drop-in.
With vintage clothing to browse and a collaborative mural to colour, the square will be alive with creativity!
You’ll gain access to advance programme notifications and entry into a prize draw
The event is part of Connecting Culture, a ground-breaking project led by the University of Southampton and supported by Arts Council England.
On a beautifully sunny May evening, 13 schools from across the Isle of Wight came together for their very own unique coronation celebration; in front of an audience of over 1000 at Osborne House. In partnership with English Heritage, the event was produced by Southampton and IOW Music Hub.
All the participating schools chose songs related to the coronation, from the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis, to The Lion King and everything in between. One school even created their own song! The Isle of Wight Music Centre Wind Band children's wind band began the evening with the national anthem and entertained the audience with a selection from the Greatest Showman later in the concert.
One teacher said:
“Seeing children who are often shy in class singing in front of such a big crowd with enormous beaming smiles shows the immeasurable impact the event had on so many children. The children from our school absolutely loved it and I know I went home with a huge smile too.”
This Saturday (29 April), Southampton Music Hub is bringing it’s FLOW Rap workshop and an Open Music Studio to MAST Mayflower Studios’ Family Fun Day.
10.30am-12noon: Flow
Flow rap group sessions are designed to tighten up your rhythms, sharpen your rhymes and improve your flow. These workshops are run as part of the Digital Native Artists (DNA) Programme. This workshop will be open access as part of the MAST Family Day, and regular members are very welcome to attend in the usual way.
Drop in between 1-3pm: Open Studio
Visit our digital music studio
meet the team
get feedback on your tunes
meet other producers, beatmakers and songwriters
find out about the support available for young digital music-makers
In the last two weeks of Spring Term, ten of the Southampton Music Hubs ensembles gave some amazing performances. As always, all groups performed to a very high standard and played with great energy and enthusiasm. With music from musical theatre, film scores, pop classics, classical repertoire and original compositions everyone who attended an event had a real treat.
"I really enjoy the mix of pieces the band plays. They are great fun" — Ensemble member
"Even though I can't play all the notes, I really enjoy the challenge of playing the group. it really pushes me to become a better player" — Band member
Southampton Music Hub has four exciting — free — music opportunities to share with you as part of our Digital Native Artists (DNA) Programme!
Girls Make Music: Production Collective — a new, ten week, opportunity for girls aged 11–16 to explore music production, songwriting and live events
Music Production Collective — monthly music production group sessions providing space for collaboration between beatmakers, producers and songwriters aged 11-16
FLOW — Saturday rap group sessions for 11-16 year olds
Share and Shout About New Music — a chance for 13-25 year olds interested in music, social media, music journalism, blogging and live events to be part of a new team who will share new music and music opportunities with other young people
As part of our Digital Native Artists (DNA) programme, young people taking part in songwriting and production sessions have written some questions to ask members of the team. Next up, introducing Sara!
Sara (She/Her) joined Southampton Music Hub in February as our Youth Voice Engagement Worker for Southampton, as part of the South West Coastal Hub Alliance. Sara will be running an in person 10 week music production club for young women and girls. Find out more about the Girls Make Music: Production Club here.
How did you get started in music and with writing music, and how did that get you here?
I started making music by writing rap lyrics when I was about 18, it wasn't until I was about 23 that I decided I needed to learn how to produce so I went back to college to get a diploma at DBS in Bristol and then onto get a degree in Music Production from BIMM London University. I then moved down to Southampton in February 2022 and was signed off for a year with anxiety, I slowly started volunteering and getting out there more over the year and I emailed the MAST Mayflower Studios to see if I could volunteer with them to get some experience working in the industry, and they said they had this position available and I should apply so I did and here we are!
What genre(s) of music do you create?
It's kinda experimental trip hop sort of stuff, I take a lot of influence from Portishead and Massive Attack. I love the heavy drums they use and the eery melodies that accompany them. I'm a very positive, upbeat person most of the time but my music has a lot of darker undertones.
What instruments and tools are you using for recording?
So I mainly just program virtual instruments in logic or use samples, I don't really play any instruments and I've never got too into music theory to be honest. I also sometimes like to take a field recording of some environment or non musical sound and process and edit it in Logic into a form of music.
Which other artists inspire you?
I accidently sort of already answered this question! But i'll expand a bit more, so trip hop, hiphop/rap and soul are my main influences but artists in any medium that are super authentic and original in their expression are really inspiring to me. I love people that aren't afraid to push boundaries or carve their own path.
What inspires you when you create music?
Everything and anything to be honest, it can be a feeling I have or a phrase that came to my head, it can be a passing strangers conversation or some experience I’ve had in my life. Literally anything.
What's the most important piece of advice you have for aspiring musicians?
Don't follow the crowd, be original, be unique, be bold and daring and don't be afraid to be the authentic truest version of yourself. Also be consistent, don't expect things to happen over night, good things take time and great things take even longer. Belive in yourself to the point of delusion and you'll succeed.
Check out some of the tools in our ecosystem of music hub to find out more about making music your career.
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.
From jazz to Led Zeppelin, Holst to the stage and screen, and everything in-between this concert had it all! Saturday 11th March saw the SYCS Spring Spectacular take place at Thornden Hall.
Clarinetist Katherine said 'We all relaxed into it and I really think we sound better when we work as a team like that. Mars was the most challenging, having to hit very high notes over a sustained period.
These sentiments were echoed by their conductor Kevin Withell. He said “Mars was absolutely fantastic to conduct but needed significant stamina from the orchestra to sustain all of the dramatic moments.”
This concert was Kevin's last as conductor of SYCS and the evening was a fitting send off with all involved in the orchestra eager to show their appreciation for all his hard work over the past eight and a half years. As Kevin himself said 'it's been a privilege to work with such a great team, and by that I mean a team of 80 young people and staff'.
Calling all Young People in Southampton: What does Southampton mean to you? (Southampton’s Image)
Southampton Youth Partnership is inviting young people aged 25 and under to provide us with images and words that say something about;
What it is like being a young person in Southampton?
What represents Southampton to you?
This is an invitation for you to submit an image (drawn, painted, collaged, photographed or digitally created) or piece of poetry (written, spoken, rapped or sung). We particularly welcome responses from young people across the city who might have different perspectives that they would like to share or think that their views are often under-represented.
Prizes – for the top 3 submissions that made us really think about what Southampton means to you (as judged by a panel of young people from the city) we will award a £25 ‘One 4 All’ gift voucher. Every submission will receive a participation thank you certificate.
Closing date – March 21st 2023
Submission – Email your work to syp@artswork.org.uk or post to Youth Options, Crescent House, The Crescent, Eastleigh SO50 9SX – use the title SYP Competition
Please include your name, age and contact information with your submission.This information sheet is available in other accessible formats including large print and audio.
Please email syp@artswork.or.uk for more details.
What is Southampton Youth Partnership?
Southampton Youth Partnership is network for organisations that work with children and young people in the city of Southampton. Together we aim to ensure that we all work together to create a connected city with good opportunities that reach and impact on the lives of children and young people so that they are happy, thriving and empowered.
The role of Southampton Youth Partnership is to
Ensure youth voice is at the heart of our work together
Share, learn and proactively using what we know together to make children and young
people’s lives better
Advocate for sustainable of provision – securing investment and support for partners
Create a connected city which works for young people with ‘No wrong door’ between
partners
Southampton Music Hub Award Holders and players from Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia and Southampton Youth Orchestra were delighted to perform during the drinks reception prior to the Lord Mayor's Ball on Friday 10 February.
Aged 9 to 17, the young musicians performed to incredibly high standards whilst the Lord Mayor received her guests. Performing a range of music from Chopin to Jazz the young performers were accompanied by hub manager Kath Page.
"It was such a privilege for our young players to be invited to perform at such a prestigious event. The young musicians performed magnificently and the event gave them a very valuable experience of performing in a different environment to what they we are used to. It was an amazing opportunity for Southampton's musicians to share their talent." — Zoe Hunting, Music Services Manager
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.”
