Portsmouth Guildhall is assuming the responsibility for running Portsmouth Music Hub from September 2026 and is looking for a Music Hub Manager.

Portsmouth Guildhall is assuming the responsibility for running Portsmouth Music Hub from September’26 as a member of the South Coast Music Partnership Consortium, along with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

Music Hub Manager

Hours: 20 per week
Contract: Fixed term (to be reviewed)
Department: Learning & Participation
Location: Portsmouth Guildhall
Salary: £38k pro rata

About the Role

The Hub Manager will plan and ensure delivery of the Hub’s programme. Working with schools, stakeholders and partners, and within the setting of the Guildhall, this role will support the delivery of music education to young people in Portsmouth.

Deadline for applications:

Please submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience to: hello@thebaseguildhall.com

Closing date: 5pm, Friday 6th March
Interview date: Thursday 12th March 2026

Learn more and find out how to apply via the button below.

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Applications are now live until 31 March 2026 to apply for the Bournemouth's National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO) Ensemble from September 2026.

We encourage applications from 11–25-year-old disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled musicians. We play a mixture of acoustic, electronic and accessible instruments and there is no requirement to read music or have taken graded exams. We also welcome young disabled people with musical potential who might not yet play an instrument but control eye gaze technology or head trackers in a way that could transfer to playing the Clarion accessible instrument. Rehearsals take place roughly once a month, starting from September 2026 to June 2027 on Saturdays. 

For more information, you can read the 2026 Applicant's Information Pack to get an idea of what being part of a Regional NOYO Ensemble is like. Also, more information is listed on the NOYO website: Apply now to join NOYO from September 2026 - National Open Youth Orchestra

To apply, please fill out the application form here. 

The Southampton Youth Wind Band (SYWB) lit up Mayflower Studios on Monday night with a lively and uplifting performance of Windows of the World.

The young musicians—from across Southampton and beyond—played with the confidence and energy of a group far beyond their years, reminding everyone why they’re gaining such a strong national reputation.

Right from the opening piece, SYWB showed just how polished a youth ensemble can be. Under the steady and encouraging direction of John Hanchett, the band played with tight coordination and a warm, balanced sound. The highlight of the evening was definitely Peter Graham’s Windows of the World. It’s a big, colourful piece that shifts styles quickly, and the band handled every twist with real flair—from punchy Latin rhythms to softer, more atmospheric moments. The audience were clearly impressed, giving one of the biggest rounds of applause of the night.

Young Composers Get their Moment

One of the loveliest touches in the programme was the inclusion of original music written by band members themselves. It gave the concert a personal feel and showed just how much talent is being nurtured within the group. These student pieces sat comfortably alongside familiar music from films, popular wind band works, and other crowdpleasers.

By the end of the night, it was clear why SYWB are considered one of the top youth wind bands around. Their enthusiasm, musicality, and sheer enjoyment of performing made Windows of the World a feelgood, memorable event. It wasn’t just a concert—it was a wonderful celebration of local young talent and the thriving music scene in Southampton.

Councillor Barnes-Andrews commented:

‘What a tour de force! Southampton can be so proud of the young people who played this evening. They all performed superbly and the audience were stunned and delighted’.

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This week over 180 children from 6 different primary schools across the Island took part in workshops with the hub learning about jobs in the music industry. 

KS2 children learned about musicians, composers and creators alongside technical roles for events through designing their very own music festivals.  

We saw festivals that took place on the moon (sponsored by Elon Musk no less) , an unexpected 90s rave at The Needles and events themed around Minecraft, Pokemon, sea bunnies and lots of different genres of music.  One thing’s for sure, Young musicians on the Isle of Wight are definitely creative!

“Learning about roles in the music industry is an integral part of the National Plan for Music Education and is often an element that is overlooked or harder for teachers to deliver in the classroom.  This was an ideal opportunity to focus on that specifically, provide some resources for teachers and allow the children to have a really positive time engaging with the subject”

- Nia Collins IOW Music Hub Lead

The music hub’s workshops were part of a huge programme of workshops delivered by lots of cultural and heritage organisations programmed and curated by Creative Island.

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As part of our commitment to youth voice, we are running 3 sessions over the next few months.

These are creative consultations open to anyone up to the age of 18 interested in music. Anyone attending is invited to bring along friends. We'll use the time to do a fun activity and discuss music: from genre-preferences to career goals. 

All sessions will take place at our space in Mayflower Studios (142 Above Bar St, SO14 7BL) with lots of snacks! This is a great opportunity to take part in a fun and free creative activity, and visit our recording space. 

These sessions will be led by Philippa! (Signposting and Youth Governance Worker for South Coast Music Partnership)

17/02/26 - Collage evening:

Come along for the chance to chill out and create a personalised collage while we chat about your music progression. There'll be snacks, music (submit song choices on the sign-up sheet) and the chance to take home your creation.

10/03/26 - Puppet-making session:

Could you create Sockbrina Carpenter, Jimi Handrix, or Elphaba's friend Soq? During this session, we'll teach you to build a sock puppet and ask that you build a music figure that's relevant to you - perhaps a musician, a singer-songwriter, a character from a musical or someone else? I look forward to finding out who you create and why!

16/03/26 -  Podcast recording:

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at hosting a podcast? Or just being a guest? However you feel, we want to invite you to create your own podcast episode! We'd like your podcast to be themed around music as a career but the rest is up to you, in return you'll be sent the final episode fully edited. 

If any of this is of interest to you please sign up here or by scanning the QR code on the attached poster. Come along to as many sessions as you'd like! 

Do you play a brass instrument? Can you play 5 notes or more? Do you enjoy making music others? Then this is the group for you!

Brassroots is the beginner brass ensemble in Southampton, run by Southampton & IOW Music with funding from the Friends of Southampton Youth Brass Band.

Rehearsals will take place at:

Richard Taunton Sixth Form College

on Tuesdays (5-6pm) during term time

Membership fee:  £60 per term

Up to 3 free taster rehearsals

 For further information and to sign up, please use contact details below:

music@siowmusic.org

023 8083 3648

Breakout Youth are hiring for two roles, please find full details below.

Breakout Youth offers confidential support for young people aged 11 to 25, who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or unsure of their sexuality or gender identity; across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. They run confidential youth groups based in Southampton, Basingstoke, Andover, the New Forest and the Isle of Wight.

Young people who identify as LGBTQ+ or are unsure often feel isolated and alone with their sexuality or gender identity. At Breakout Youth, you will find a group of likeminded young people that you can socialise with safely. You’ll also find help with those feelings of isolation or confusion.

The Roles

Operations Manager

We are excited to recruit for an Operations Manager to support and manage the team at Breakout Youth including: line management (supervision, absence management, expenses, appraisals) of youth workers and administration Officer, taking the lead on Safeguarding, the management of our youth group delivery program and 121 support (including risk assessments, session plan programme and staffing), management and delivery of Breakout Youths’ Youth Board, planning and delivery of events (such as our annual Pride Prom, Pride events) and LGBTQ+ Awareness training delivery and accreditation across Hampshire and the IOW.  

This is a hands on and engaging role, managing specialist LGBTQ+ youth workers, who are supporting vulnerable LGBTQ+ young people.  The Operations Manager will also be responsible for managing partnerships and relationships with external organisations and partners.  The role will lead on the ongoing development and delivery of these projects in line with our strategy, helping to improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ children and young people.

Hours: This role is a one-year fixed term contract (we hope to attract funding to make this a permanent role) and is for 28 hours per week. 

Wage: The salary starts at £36,625.25 (Pro Rata for 28 hours per week)

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 9th February 2026

For more information, please visit our website:  Job Opportunity - Operations Manager • Breakout Youth

Admin Officer

We are excited to recruit for an Admin Officer, to support the team at Breakout Youth, taking the lead on answering the phone, actioning email enquiries, referral processing, data entry, consent form management, preparation of meeting minutes, and supporting the Breakout Youth team. The role contributes to the ongoing development and delivery of Breakout Youth services as part of the wider team, helping to improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ children and young people. The role requires working under pressure, meeting deadlines with an ability to prioritise workload and have a methodical and efficient approach. The role can be very busy and challenging- so being calm under pressure and able to prioritise workload will be essential- but also highly rewarding working within a supportive team.

Hours: This role is a permanent contract and is for 18 hours per week. 

Wage: The salary starts at £24,307.67 Pro Rata for 18 hours per week The pay rate is £12.60 per hour

Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 9th February 2026

For more information, please visit our website: Job Opportunity - Admin Officer • Breakout Youth

Operations Manager

28 hours per week, one year fixed-term contract.

£36,625.25 (Pro Rata)

Closing date for applications:

9am Monday 9th February 2026

Apply Now

Admin

Officer

18 hours per week, permanent contract.

£24,307.67 (Pro Rata)

Closing date for applications:

9am Monday 9th February 2026

Apply Now

Over Christmas, our Ensembles treated us to some spectacular performances!

The first day of the Christmas holidays saw both Southampton Youth Brass Band and Southampton Youth Orchestra in action. The Brass Band in partnership with the Chandlers Ford Band gave a performance at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church that was full of fun and festive cheer that got everyone in the Christmas spirit. 

Some band members then made a quick move over to Holy Saviour Church in Bitterne to join the Southampton Youth Orchestra together with the Clara Voces choir for the Lord Mayors Christmas concert.  With stunning performances from both the orchestra and choir in a beautiful setting this was a more reflective performance about the true meaning of Christmas. 

A wonderful end to a stunning series of performances from all Southampton and IOW Music ensembles throughout the Autumn term!

After an incredible celebration of music at our School’s Concert last year, we have put together the mixed recordings of performances and uploaded them to our YouTube channel.

To watch the recordings, follow the link below to access the Celebrate! Schools Concert at Southampton Guildhall playlist on your YouTube:

Airplay ended their Autumn term with a rousing concert of some of their favourite pieces combined with seasonal items and a few solo performances from members of the band. 

Jingle Bells was clearly a hit with the band and demonstrated the players ability to switch seamlessly from their instruments to kazoos.

Congratulations to all involved in a such a spirited and engaging concert!

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Next autumn, the Isle of Wight celebrates all that the Island is with “Can You Hear Us?”, a six-week celebration of creativity and culture taking place across the Island funded by Arts Council England. 

Our Partners at Creative Island are offering micro-grants and a fully funded leadership programme as part of this celebration.

Micro-Grants

“Can You Hear Us?” micro-grants programme is offering 20-25 grants of between £500 - £1,000 to support local groups to deliver creative activity, anywhere on the Isle of Wight, between March and October 2026. 

Deadline: 30 January 2026, 11.59pm

Full information on how to apply and FAQs can be found on Creative Islands’ website here.

Cultural Leadership Programme

As part of “Can You Hear Us?”, Creative Island are running a fully funded leadership programme for 12 individuals on the Isle of Wight from March to October 2026.

Who is it for?

We are looking for participants who want to make a positive difference to life on the Island and who are ready to grow and develop their skills as leaders.

You might not think of yourself as a leader, or feel that the word fits, but you might be someone who brings people together, makes things happen, or has a vision for how culture on the Island could grow and evolve.

Participants might include freelancers, artists and people working within organisations.

When we talk about culture, we mean the creative, heritage, environmental, social, education and library sectors, as well as the many community spaces where people come together, get involved and share what matters to them

Deadline: 25 January 2026, 11.59pm

Full details on what to expect and how to apply can be found here.

Micro Grants

Between £500 - £1,000 to support local groups to deliver creative activity on the Isle of Wight, between March & October 2026. 

Deadline: 30 January 2026, 11.59pm

APPLY NOW

Cultural Leadership Programme

We are looking for participants who want to make a positive difference to life on the Island and who are ready to grow and develop their skills as leaders.

Deadline: 25 January 2026, 11.59pm

apply now

Southampton schools & young musicians come together for an evening of songs and music celebrating winter festivals from around the world

Celebrate! Southampton and IOW Music’s annual schools concert at O2 Southampton Guildhall took place on Thursday 4th December.  Crowds were wowed by performances from massed KS1 and KS2 choirs representing 11 schools from across the city alongside musicians from Chinese Arts, Southampton Youth Wind Band (SYWB), Folk Active Youth Ensembles (FAYE) and soloists from our Stage Door Rising Stars programme.

Performing original songs written by composers Jo Downs and Fiona Funnell as well as a Polish Carol arranged by Miko Lisiak, schools sang about Diwali, Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, Yule and Christmas. The culmination of the evening featured a song called Shine a Little Light celebrating the unity and diversity of our city which was performed by candlelight.

Soloist Hannah Hughes sang some Christmas numbers with the Wind Band and Herleen Khalsa performed her own song Logic Behind the Lines accompanied on Sitar.  The Guzheng players from Chinese Arts performed Forest Rhapsody and Little Apple which the choir children on stage danced along to.  The Wind Band provided some festive Christmas medleys alongside film and World music alongside folk tunes from Holland with FAYE.  Both ensembles performed alongside the massed choirs.

Teacher quotes

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it right from the workshops to our own rehearsals and of course the concert last night”

“The children and staff had the most incredible time”

“It was a truly memorable experience for all the children involved”

Parent quote

“We really appreciate and are grateful in giving her the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience”

Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia gave a Christmas concert full of sparkle and dazzle on Tuesday 9 December. 

With a jazz themed programme, Studio Band jazz group, set this scene with some pre-concert music in the foyer of Thornden Hall. 

In the first half SYCS gave rousing performances of classics such as Puttin' on the Ritz and New York New York.  The second half had a definite Christmas feel with many popular seasonal pieces from Winter Wonderland to Merry Christmas Everyone on the programme. 

SYCS was joined by talented local young vocalist Rae-Anne Taylor who brought an extra element of drama to the performances. 

Many congratulations to all on a very entertaining evening of music!

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In 2026, SIOW Music will be delivering ‘Song of Place’ an exciting song-writing project for Island of Culture on the Isle of Wight.

Song of Place is a cross-generational creative music project which will allow young people and communities across the Island to become the lead artistic voice in celebrating Island music and finding new audiences.  Multiple groups will delve into different aspects of the island drawing inspiration from the environment, island life and the trailblazing communities that exist here, creating songs and soundscapes. 

Who will we be reaching with this project?

Song-writing project work will intersect with a range of cross arts cultural partners and local ensembles (brass and marching bands, choirs, Folk on the Wight, carnivals) alongside schools, young people and their families with a particular focus on working in areas of the island in the highest indices of deprivation and those most unable or unlikely to access music making. 

We will aim to reach over 3500 children and young people (half the school age population) with song-writing workshops and activities during 2026 across all phases from Early Years to HE including SEND and AP settings. 

Activity will also take place in hyperlocal areas of the Island, in school settings, village halls, libraries and community spaces, inviting the Island’s amateur musicians to collaborate with nationally significant musicians and composers and to intermingle with communities not normally connected with music.  Environmental sounds will be sampled from the Island’s mosaic of habitats and represented as soundscapes.

Exciting Outcomes & Working Together

A contemporary composer will be commissioned to write an ambitious new commission featuring the Island’s amateur ensembles and children.  All the project strands will come together in a curated and digitally distributed Island of Culture album and playlist. 

The content will be recorded, mixed and mastered during delivery in 2026 and extracts and the World Premiere will be performed at a one-of-a-kind large-scale event in Ventnor Exchange’s Big Top during Autumn 2026. 

The project work, performance and recordings will feature local professional and amateur musicians and groups, schools, bedroom producers, emerging talent, young people and community groups, all working together to produce an ambitious and lasting work listened to, performed and remembered for years to come.

Listen on

Vectis Radio

Nia chats to Macca on Vectis Radio about the upcoming project! Listen from about 6 minutes into the episode.

Listen Here

Intermediate wind band Pulse8 and the Jazz group, Studio Band, joined forces for an end of term performance on Monday 9 December. 

The audience was treated to playing of a very high standard from both groups with some original arrangements through to Christmas favourites.

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On Saturday 6 December the Southampton Youth Brass Band joined forces with the Chandler's Ford Brass Band to play some traditional Christmas Carols at the Exbury Gardens Christmas Fayre. 

Despite some drizzle the bands attracted plenty of listeners, many of whom joined in singing.  The event provided an ideal opportunity for SYBB to play alongside more experienced brass band players. 

Bournemouth NOYO are calling out to musicians aged between 11-25 years old who may be interested in joining the Bournemouth NOYO Ensemble. 

Join the National Open Youth Orchestra’s Bournemouth NOYO Ensemble where brilliant disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled musicians rehearse and perform together - on acoustic, electronic and accessible instruments.

• Develop your musical skills within a pioneering inclusive ensemble.

• We learn music not only from notation, but also by ear and through improvisation.

Come to our Bournemouth Open Rehearsals on Saturday 10 and Saturday 31 January 2026 from 1pm - 4pm at The Spire, Poole (BH15 1DF) - find out more at noyo.org.uk

These are great opportunities to watch a Bournemouth NOYO rehearsal, meet the Music Leaders and other local musicians, and ask any questions they might have before applying for an audition.

Applications for regional auditions will be from Saturday 14 February to Tuesday 31 March 2026.

For more information about the Open Rehearsals, please see below: 

NOYO's website - Come to our 2026 Open Rehearsals! - National Open Youth Orchestra

BSO's  website - Bournemouth NOYO Ensemble - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Bournemouth NOYO Ensemble

Find out more about applying to be part of the ensemble.

Find Out More

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On Monday, the 17th of November, Matt Brombley, the strategic inclusion lead for SIOW Music and South Coast Music Partnership, took part in a presentation at the national music education conference run by Music Mark. Matt took part in a panel discussion with other experts in the field of youth voice and youth leadership, including sharing a video made by young people.

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Southampton Youth Orchestra gave their first concert of the 25-26 season on 30 November and what a concert it was!

The concert opened with the popular Finlandia overture by Sibelius,  Under the baton of assistant conductor Charlie Mann, the orchestra gave a performance that was full of drama.

Continuing under director, Kevin Withell, this was followed by the Elgar Cello Concerto performed by BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist, Ellen Baumring-Gledhill.

Ellen gave a beautiful poetic performance which was sympathetically accompanied by the orchestra.  The concert concluded with a rousing and characterful performance of Brahm's First Symphony. 

An outstanding concert that a professional orchestra would have been proud of.

Many congratulations to all involved on this amazing performance!

Sign up for Songwriters Den in 2026! Unleash your creativity and write your own songs!

What is it?

• Group sessions, where you can:

  • Learn different lyric writing techniques

  • Find out how to create melodies

  • Create chord progressions

  • Try out new instruments

  • Perform your songs at events and festivals

  • Meet like-minded people and share ideas!

Who can attend?

• 8-16 year olds

• No experience necessary

Where is it?

• Newport Congregational Church, Isle of Wight

When is it?

• First Wednesday of every month, from 4pm - 6pm

How much does it cost?

• These sessions are £15 per month, or £10 if you are in receipt of support services.

How to sign up?

• contact islandmusicmakers@gmail.com to book your place!

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