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:
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!
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
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
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”
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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!
Imagine & Create is a brand-new digital music education resource developed by our hub, acting on feedback from schools and SEND settings to inspire creativity in young musicians. The idea came from conversations with SEND settings who wanted ideas for composing and creating musical ideas, but it can be used in all kinds of environments from Early Years to older children.
Each "Imagine and Create" includes a 5 minute video based on a theme, with different sections matched to different pieces of music that combine engaging soundscapes with striking visuals, each themed around familiar classroom topics. Designed to spark imagination, these videos invite children the chance to improvise, move, explore and compose music in a playful, accessible way.
Each video has an accompanying teacher’s resource pack which features different starting points to explore the video with children, from drawing and moving, to oracy and language work, to composing and improvising sounds. The resources offer practical guidance, ideas, and activities on how to make use of the resources and help embed music-making into everyday classroom learning. These resources are linked in the description of each video.
The music in the video can be faded to be in the background, with the children putting in their own sounds, or it can be used as a focus for physical response or for playing along (the tracks are in C).
The resource document is just a starting point and we would love to know how you have used the videos and to see or hear any of the responses that your children have made.
We are planning two "Imagine and Create" videos each term. So far we have "Train Journeys" and "Fireworks" available. "Space" and "Ocean" are in the planning stages for the Spring Term. Are there any themes that you would like us to explore? Do get in touch via music@siowmusic.org
We visited Scoops Gelato in Portswood, where we ate waffles and ice cream, chatted and played various card games. Here is some feedback from the students themselves:
Poppy - ‘It was really good, we loved the yellow ice cream!’
David - ‘The waffles were tasty!’
Angela - ‘The social was awesome!’
Oscar - ‘It was delicious food and nice to talk to people.’
Ruben - ‘The food tasted really good!’
Leo - ‘It was really nice food and fun to socialise!’
Sia - ‘It was absolutely great, I loved it! I want to do it again!’
Daisy - ‘It was nice to see my music friends in a more chilled setting.’
We all had a fantastic time and are looking forward to the next one!
- Charlie and Steph
This concert includes a free Teacher CPD workshop which is taking place on Monday 10th November from 4:15 - 5:45 pm, in the Lord Mayor's Banqueting Hall, Portsmouth Guildhall.
This session will provide teachers with everything they need to prepare their class for the concert. It will include all the participatory elements, as well as valuable teaching resources and fun ideas. We strongly encourage teachers to attend this event so they can share the concert’s interactive elements with their students in advance, helping them to get the most out of the concert.
Schools can book their tickets online using this link: Explore the Orchestra in Portsmouth Guildhall 2026
Teachers can book onto the CPD workshop using this link: https://bsomarketing.com/p/50JX-J39/eto-teacher-cpd-portsmouth-sign-up
Join us for our FREE Teachers’ CPD and Networking Event on Thursday 13th November, 1:00–4:30 pm.
We’re excited to invite school, FE and Sixth Form College tutors, lecturers and careers advisors to Southampton Solent University on Thursday 13th November 2025, 1:00–4:30pm for an afternoon of hands-on creative workshops/professional training, and social time for networking.
This will be a fantastic opportunity for teachers and careers advisors from local schools and colleges to visit us, take part in a hands-on mini workshop from a choice of subject areas, and enjoy some informal networking time with our teams.
This should be a valuable chance for to build stronger relationships and give teachers a positive and inspiring experience of what we do at Solent. If this event goes well, we will be organising another to showcase even more courses
What to expect:
Workshops (choose one): Photography, Visual Communication (Graphic Design/Illustration), Fashion Media, Houdini for games and CGI, Music – more details to be announced!
Networking & refreshments with Solent staff and colleagues from other schools/colleges.
The chance to explore creative degree pathways, get hands-on with our facilities, and gain fresh insights into careers in the cultural and creative industries.
Why attend?
Refresh your subject knowledge and try something new.
Learn more about how you can support students considering a future in the creative industries.
A great way to meet and connect with colleagues at other institutions who are teaching in similar areas, and share good practice and build contacts in a relaxed and social setting.
Where: Southampton Solent University, SO14 0YN
When: Thursday 13th November 2025, 1:00–4:30pm
Who: Tutors, lecturers and careers advisors with an interest in creative industries.
To book your free place, please complete the short form via the button below:
SoundStorm’s exciting annual battle of the bands is launching for 2026 and we are super excited to be opening the invite to bands across the South Coast Music Partnership for the very first time!
BandStorm gives young bands aged 13 – 18, the opportunity to experience an audition, (often for the very first time), receive positive and constructive feedback on their performance skills from professional musicians, in state-of-the-art specialist facilities at BAMM (Bournemouth Academy of Modern Music).
Bands compete for a place in the Final, which is held at The Old Fire Station, in Bournemouth, a professional live music venue, where some great prizes are up for grabs too as a bonus!
Bands are supported with sound engineers and the SoundStorm team to ensure the whole process is a positive experience where they feel encouraged and supported in their musical journey.
Check out the feature film from last year’s competition where we followed the bands’ journey BandStorm 2025.
Who can apply:
We welcome bands from any experience level and any genre.
young bands aged 13 – 18
from Southampton, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight.
Applications open: 9am Friday 24th October.
Deadline: 12/12/2025
Any questions can come direct to Jo.farley@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
Please check out the BandStorm page for full details of what’s involved via the button below.
This course is designed specifically for music educators to gain an awareness of the climate-related costs and impacts of their activities and to understand how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The training provides practical tools for reducing emissions and integrating sustainability into professional practices. It will also give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to act to reduce your carbon emissions to support the UKs Net Zero target.
The training will be delivered online through presentations and interactive discussion groups over the course of a whole day in 2x3 hour blocks. This will be followed by the creation of your own personal pledge which will be certified by the course leaders following the training. For music hub staff this certification will be included in the training and will form part of your INSET time for the year but for external partners there will be a small cost of approximately £10 for this.
When is it: Wednesday 5th November 2025
Where is it: Online
Please sign up now via the google form linked in the button below.
Spaces are limited so please sign up ASAP if you would like a secure place on this course.
Carbon Literacy Training
Online CPD training in Carbon Literacy for Music Educators. Spaces are limited.
On Saturday 18 October, Sound Sense, in partnership with The Music Works, are hosting a one-day CPD and networking event focusing on inclusion, embracing differences and exploring what it means to be a community musician in the 21st century.
SIOW’s Inclusion Lead, Matt Brombley, will be taking part in one of the panel discussions
Spread over the last 4 weeks of term all groups performed to an incredibly high standard. It was an absolute pleasure for me to be able to attend most of these events. We are sure you are as proud of young musicians achievements as we are. Not only are the young people great musicians but they also conduct themselves in such a professional manner.
Our initial and mid tier groups generally gave performances in their rehearsal venues with our senior ensembles performing out and about.
Southampton Youth Brass Band gave a couple of outdoor performances at the St Cross Fair and at Romsey bandstand, performing to a wide audience, well beyond just family and friends.
Southampton Youth Wind Band gave a stunning concert at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church
Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia also performed out in the community at Royal Victoria Country Park. This performance built on their inclusive and community project - Make Some Noise.
Southampton Guildhall was the venue for Southampton Youth Orchestra's 60th anniversary where they gave an incredible performance of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana together with singers from local schools and choirs
