In May, we hosted 4 consecutive Girls Make Music days at Mayflower Studios, led by the wonderful Girls Make Music facilitator Sara!

After a huge amount of interest in our initial call out for sessions, we tried to offer sessions to as many young people as we could which meant adding these extra days!

They were a huge success, with young people asking when they could come back for more.

Below are a couple of the amazing tracks created by girls who attended the short course, which you can listen to:

Poppy's Song

Poppy

Poppy's Synth Track

Poppy

Rafa's Song

Rafa

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Southampton & IOW Music ensembles will be accepting new members in September for 2026-2027.

This includes the following Music Groups:

• Acorn Strings

• Airplay

• Elgar

• Brassroots

• Groove Syndicate

• Groove Merchant

• Studio Band

• Pulse8

• Southampton Youth Wind Band

• Southampton Youth Brass Band

• Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia

• Southampton Youth Orchestra

• Southampton Youth Strings

• Boom!

To apply or register your interest in joining one of the above, please complete the form via the button below and we will get in touch.

For information about joining any of our other Music Groups including our Digitial Native Artist groups, Isle of Wight based groups and external groups Music Hub Recommends, please check out their individual pages via: www.siowmusic.org/music-groups

2026-2027 Ensembles SIGN UP form

Fill out the form to apply for a SIOW Music Ensemble.

Fill Out Form

Some of our wonderful youth music ensembles are looking for new members! Would you like to join a group of young people making and performing music?

Acorn Strings is our initial string group for violin, viola, cello and double bass.

They are open to new members!

Rehearsals: Monday 4.30 –5.15pm at Cantell School, Violet Road, Southampton, SO16 3GJ

Termly membership fee: £70

Groove Syndicate is our initial youth Rock & Pop Band!

They are looking for a Bass Guitar player to join them, at grade 3 standard & above.

Rehearsals: Every Wednesday 4.45 -5 .45pm during term time at Cantell School.

Studio Band is our grade 6+ Jazz Group!

They are looking for the following new members:

• Trombone Player

• Drum Kit Player (grade 6 & above)

Rehearsals: Fortnightly Saturdays at 9.45 - 11.45am at Taunton College.

To register your interest in joining one of these groups, please email: music@siowmusic.org

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ENO are delighted to once again be partnering with South Coast Music Partnership for the 2026-27 academic year to offer schools in the South Coast area an enhanced version of our national schools’ project Finish This…

Finish This… is English National Opera’s FREE* music making programme for schools nationwide; bringing a fusion of opera, film and animation into your classroom, as a creative springboard for collaborative composition work.

*Finish This… is free to state schools. Independent schools are welcome to apply to take part at a charge of £200 per class.

Adapted for KS2 and SEND learners, in two distinct pathways, Finish This… invites students to step into the role of an ENO Composer and respond to, and resolve, purposefully unfinished operatic works. Immersing themselves into the composer role, students will embrace their imaginations and experiment with music written around themes that include colours and the environment, to create their own uniquely composed endings – all through the lens of opera.

Find out more about the project via the Finish This... website.

As well as the core programme, schools in the South Coast area will be offered:

An in-person teacher CPD session, run by local Finish This... teacher champions, Anna Thompsett (KS2) and Sarah Coolbear and Paul Barnes (SEND):

These sessions are designed to enhance the training you receive via our pre-recorded online project briefings. You will have aspects of the project modelled for you, you will take part in a micro version of the project and meet other teachers in your area working on the project.

These will take place on:

-For those working with Blue, Red, Yellow: Wednesday 9th September; 4:15 – 5:45pm, Great Oaks School, Southampton

-For those working with Plant This Seed: Wednesday 16th September; 4:15 – 5:45pm, Great Oaks School, Southampton

An in-person celebration events in the spring/summer term in 2027. These events are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the work of your amazing young composers in person. Events will be led by South Coast Music Partnership with support from ENO. More information will be communicated regarding the event in due course.

To secure your FREE place for 2026-27, please visit the booking page and complete the booking request form.

KS3 Finish This… Returns!

We are delighted to be welcoming KS3 classes back onto the programme after taking a pause in 2025-26 to run our pilot project testing out a brand new scheme of work using a brand new composition, Plant This Seed by Elif Karlidag! Following the success of this pilot we are rolling out our new scheme of work nationally for 2026-27.

After the success of our first Podcast making session and youth consultation, Philippa is running another session at Playland in Portsmouth!

This will take place at Playland at 193 Commercial Rd, PO1 4BD on Wednesday 17th June from 6pm - 8pm.

Participants will have the opportunity to record a podcast on the theme of music, which will then be edited and uploaded to our YouTube channel. The session is open to anyone 18 or under who's willing to chat about music. Interested young people can sign up to attend here - please do this by 15th June.

Podcast Making

17th June 2026 at 6-8pm

at Playland, 193 Commercial Road,

Portsmouth, PO1 4BD

SIGN UP NOW

Sara, our Girls Make Music facilitator, is putting on a couple of workshops in Rap & Creative Writing and Women’s Music Production for people aged 18+ at God’s House Tower later this month. These workshops are not an event run by SIOW Music, we are sharing on behalf of Sara.

Both workshops are beginner-friendly and centred around accessibility, creativity and self-expression through music and writing.

The workshops will take place on the following dates in Southampton:

Rap & Creative Writing Workshop: Sunday 14th June · 1pm–3pm

Women’s Music Production Workshop: Sunday 28th June · 1pm–3pm

You can find out more and book tickets via the buttons below!

You can learn more about Sara’s wider project How To Hear Yourself, which these workshops are a part of, via her website: https://www.howtohearyourself.com/

rAP & cREATIVE WRITING wORKSHOP

Sunday 14th June · 1pm–3pm

at God’s House Tower

Cost: £14.79

Get Tickets

Women’s Music Production Workshop

Sunday 28th June · 1pm–3pm

at God’s House Tower

Cost: £16.96

Get Tickets

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In September 2026, the University of Southampton will host The British Science Festival 2026. This annual event which moves around the country each year, will take place at the University of Southampton, Highfield Campus and in the city centre.

Turner Sims, the University of Southampton’s music venue, is collaborating with the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute on a multi-faceted project based on the work of four researchers:

• Professor Clive Trueman: the study of fish otoliths (the inner ear of the fish) and how this records the age of a fish and events in its life

• Jacob Kleboe, PhD Researcher: micro-plastic in coral 

• Amy Feakes, PhD Researcher & DoctorJulie Mestre: the feeding patterns of whales in the Antarctic

• Professor Helen Farr: maritime movement of people in deep time (65,000 years ago)

Marine Remix on Friday 18 September 2026, 7.30–9.30pm at the Stage Door

Marine Remix will showcase the next generation of electronic music producers. Marine Remixed will be co-curated and promoted by Turner Sims’ Assistant Producers – a group of young people developing skills in programming, producing and promotion.

Young producers and future electronic performers have two exciting opportunities to take part:

Young musicians gathered for this year’s Isle of Wight Recorder Extravaganza, part of the wider Fairest Isle Festival celebration of 16th and 17th century music taking place across venues around the Island in May.

Hosted at Queensgate Primary School, the concert showcased the remarkable progress of children from schools across the South Coast who have been learning the recorder through a collaborative education initiative led by Southampton & Isle of Wight Music, Fairest Isle Festival and the early music ensemble Palisander.

Speaking at the event, Nia Collins of Southampton & Isle of Wight Music said 

“We are delighted to partner with the festival and Palisander for a second year, helping to develop a strand of musical learning centred around the recorder.

The recorder is so accessible and such a great gateway into instrumental and ensemble playing.  This afternoon audiences heard just how adaptable and varied the instrument can be — from soundscapes to recorders of all shapes and sizes and sounds. In the best possible way, I’m quite certain you won’t hear anything like this again for a very long time!”

The project was supported through funding from the Worshipful Company of Turners alongside support from the music hub, Fairest Isle Festival, the Walter Bergmann Fund and Palisander’s funders. Together, the organisations commissioned a new songbook and teaching resource featuring music inspired by locations across the Isle of Wight, written by composer Miriam Monaghan.

The initiative also included teacher training sessions reaching 15 schools across the South Coast and an estimated 2,000 children, followed by additional workshops delivered in schools by music hub practitioners and visiting musicians.

Organisers hope the resources created through the programme will continue to benefit schools for years to come.  The songs will also be featured as part of the music hub’s Songs of Place strand in Creative Island’s Island-wide initiative Can You Hear Us?  Celebrating Island culture and featuring in our Spotify playlist of songs written and performed by young Island musicians in Autumn 2026.

Special thanks were given to Queensgate Primary School and Mrs Riches for hosting and coordinating the event.

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Young people from two Isle of Wight schools took part in a series of inspiring singing and songwriting workshops last week as part of a collaboration between Fairest Isle Festival and Southampton and Isle of Wight Music.

Led by musicians and singers Ella Rainbird-Earley and Sam Gilliat, the workshops with students from LIFT Ryde and Hunnyhill Primary School explored singing, collaboration and songwriting.

At LIFT Ryde, students from Year 7 through to sixth form worked together to reimagine the lyrics of Baroque composer Purcell’s iconic song Fairest Isle (an perfect Festival title link!), rewriting the words to reflect their own experiences of growing up on the Isle of Wight.

Nia Collins from Southampton & Isle of Wight Music said:

“The resulting lyrics were searingly honest, offering powerful and deeply personal insights into life as a young person on the island today. The workshops gave students the opportunity not only to develop their vocal technique, sing in parts and harmony but also to learn how to collaborate creatively and shape a song together from scratch.”’

Ella and Sam were praised for their energy, encouragement and the expertise they brought to the sessions, helping students grow in confidence and express themselves through music.

The songs created during the workshops will go on to feature as part of the music hub’s Songs of Place playlist for Creative Island’s Can You Hear Us? place-based partnership project in Autumn 2026.

The collaboration highlights the power of music to amplify young voices and create meaningful opportunities for creativity, connection and self-expression across the Isle of Wight.

We're excited to announce the next set of dates for our consultation sessions. The sessions are open to anyone under the age of 18 who's open to discussing music with Philippa, our Signposting & Youth Governance Worker.

The next sessions will be:

Wednesday 3rd June - Puppet-making 18:30 - 20:00

Wednesday 24th June - Podcast 17:30 - 19:00 

Both will take place at our recording studio in Mayflower Studios (142 - 144 Above Bar St, Southampton SO14 7DU).

Puppet Making

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?

3rd June 2026, 6.30 - 8.00pm

Find out More

Podcast session

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!

24th June 2026, 5.30 - 7.00pm

Find out More

To register your interest, and sign-up to attend, please fill in this form. 

Unfortunately, if you've already completed a form about the dates, this does not count as a signup. You will have to complete this new form so we know you're coming.

Feel free to sign-up to a session again; repeat attendees are very welcome! 

Finally, we're very excited to share the first episode of the Power Music podcast, which we recorded during our last session. You can find it below: 

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Herleen Kaur Khalsa, one of our wonderful Rising Stars performers is putting on a charity event in Southampton titled ‘East Meets West’.

In Herleen’s words:

This event will feature a mix of original songs, Sitar, and Indian Fusion to raise money for a charity that is very close to my heart.

Friends of PICU is a charity supporting the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Southampton’s Children’s Hospital. They provide patient and family facilities and staff training that isn’t typically funded by the NHS. This charity supported my family at a critical time—my little sister was born with a heart condition and required immediate surgery. Through their help, she was able to stay under specialist care in hospital for a month. This event is my way of giving back.

When is it: Saturday 11th July 2026 - doors open at 6.30pm, with the performance taking place from 7-8pm.

Where is it: The Hilt (Hiltingbury Community Centre) Hiltingbury Road, Chandler's Ford, SO53 5NP

Tickets: Pay what you want - these can be purchased via Eventbrite via the button below.

Congratulations to our Southampton Youth Wind Band who have been invited to perform at the prestigious Music for Youth National Festival at Symphony Hall in Birmingham on Saturday 11 July. 

This is a very well deserved national recognition for the band who are simply sounding awesome.

We want to say a huge congratulations to all band members and Director, John Hanchett and Assistant Director, Sam Proctor. 

The Music for Youth National Festival 2026 brings thousands of talented young musicians to Birmingham for three unforgettable days of live performances, inspiring workshops and creative experiences. From powerful orchestras and uplifting choirs to jazz bands, ensembles and bold new music makers, the festival showcases the incredible diversity and talent of young people from across the UK.

Hosted in iconic venues including Symphony Hall and the CBSO Centre, the festival offers something to delight every music lover.

Book your tickets and be part of an uplifting celebration filled with passion, creativity and the joy of making music together. The full festival programme will be revealed in May.

To discover more and find out how to get involved in workshops or the fringe stage, visit the MFY website: www.mfy.org.uk

Last week, John (SYWB MD) was delighted to represent the Wind bands and Southampton & Isle of Wight Music Hub at the Children’s Mayor Celebration event. Held in the Lord Mayor’s parlour, the current Children’s Mayor invited people that have been significant during her Mayoral year. The Wind bands have been thankful for her presence as a VIP at concerts during this last year.

The children’s Mayor gave an inspirational speech, talking of her year and the intended impact. Community action and passing on individuals talents/skills/knowledge to another are here key points. Saying “I can show you how to do that!” in a sharing act of community. Her speech was breathtaking and left young and old in the parlour full of praise for the Children’s Mayor.

The Children’s Mayor spoke of her passion for music (our MD, John just happens to be her Cello teacher too), and the significance in her life.

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Embark on a musical journey back in time at the Fairest Isle Festival on the captivating Isle of Wight. Bathe in the opulence of a Venetian soundworld with voices and early instruments from the world’s top performers - on an island itself steeped in rich history. Below you can find out more about the workshops and events happening as part of this festival!

Recorder Extravaganza with Palisander (Monday 18th May 2026 4.30pm - 5.30pm)

Queensgate Primary School (KS1, KS2) in partnership with Fairest Isle Festival

SIOW Music have been providing CPD, resources, workshops and a performance event on the Isle of Wight! This massed performance event for Isle of Wight Schools will take place after school on Monday 18th May hosted by Queensgate Primary in East Cowes.  Young performers will have the opportunity to play alongside other school groups in a final performance of the Recorder Extravaganza project and hear incredible performances from Miriam and her recorder supergroup Palisander! 

WORKSHOP: LABORATORY OF LULLABIES (SATURDAY 16TH MAY 2026 10AM–11AM)

BAROQUE AND FOLK FUN - A FAMILY EVENT FOR ALL AGES - LED BY NAOMI BURRELL

Where: ASPIRE RYDE, DOVER STREET

As part of Fairest Isle Festival , come and join us for this unique experience that invites families to connect through the timeless tradition of lullabies. Whether you’re a parent with young children, a grandparent sharing cherished memories, an adult bringing an elderly relative, or friends looking for new ways to enjoy live music, we hope you find it soothing to enjoy together in the welcoming space of Aspire Ryde.

The ‘Laboratory of Lullabies’ features lullabies and ‘night-time’ music from baroque and folk traditions - to entertain adults and children alike. Led by Naomi Burrell who plays the baroque violin and sings, and joined by Sergio Bucheli, a fabulous lute player, they will bring Naomi’s recently

COME & PLAY: BAROQUE HITS WORKSHOP (SATURDAY 16TH MAY 2026 1:30PM–4:30PM)

AN INTRODUCTION TO BAROQUE STYLE FOR PLAYERS OF MODERN INSTRUMENTS LED BY NAOMI BURRELL AND KINGA UJSZASZI (VIOLINS)

Where: ST JOHN’S CHURCH, NEWPORT

Following last year’s successful event with Naomi Burrell, here’s another session for players of modern string and double reed instruments (at modern pitch) to dip their toe into playing baroque style (or styles - there are a lot of them!). With two expert professional players, enjoy finding a strong sense of dance and vivid colours in music by Corelli, Vivaldi and perhaps Purcell. Naomi Burrell and Kinga Ujszaszi are two of the busiest early violinists on the circuit. Involved in other events this weekend, you will enjoy the infectious energy they bring to this music.

The Amber Trust have developed a wonderful new resource, Positive Touch Guide, to support teachers working with blind and partially sighted students to feel confident in using touch safely and appropriately.   

The Amber Trust is dedicated to giving blind and partially sighted children the best possible musical opportunities. Amber’s work is grounded in evidence-informed approaches to musical development for children with vision impairments, including those with additional differences and disabilities, and those with complex needs.

Children who are blind or who have very little sight experience the world primarily through auditory and tactile information. In music education, this means that touch can become an especially powerful and meaningful channel for demonstrating and scaffolding instrumental technique, supporting singing (for example, through awareness of breath and posture), and, for some children, communicating reassurance and emotional connection.

What we define as Positive Touch is the intentional, supportive and appropriate use of physical contact to facilitate learning, foster communication and, where appropriate, provide reassurance. Used sensitively and ethically, Positive Touch can be a crucial element in teaching blind and some partially sighted children.

The Amber Trust promotes positive, appropriate and reassuring touch between practitioners and blind children, or those with very little sight, during music teaching and music-service sessions. For some children – particularly those who are very young or who have additional disabilities – touch may be an essential part of communication and of building understanding of the world around them.

This guide is for teachers, practitioners and families. It outlines Amber’s approach to Positive Touch, tips and techniques, and information about safeguarding.

This guide is available to download as a pdf, and in word (suitable for screen readers) and large print versions.

You’ll find it on The Amber Trust’s website in various formats here:  https://ambertrust.org/positive-touch-guide/

Positive Touch Guide

A new resource by The Amber Trust to support teachers working with blind and partially sighted students to feel confident in using touch safely and appropriately.

Access Here

For our 10 Minute Sing & Sing this week, we have an original song by Jo Downs: A Cockerel-headed Man.

This song has been specially written and commissioned for our partners Brading Roman Villa as part of a wider project on the Isle of Wight called ‘Can You Hear Us?’ and the ‘Songs of Place’ we are creating for this.

A Cockerel-headed Man! is about one of the famous pictures that make up the mosaic floor at Brading Roman Villa - Gallus the Cockerel-headed Man! This song has been written in the style of Victorian Music Hall as a nod to the time that the Villa was discovered.

You can listen to the track on our Songbank, or Sign and Sing along using our 10 Minute Sign & Sing learning and performance videos.

Everybody sing songbank

Access: A Cockerel-headed Man! Full track, Backing track & Score, as part of our Myths & Legends songs for our Vocal Prom.

Listen here

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After two days of intensive rehearsals the Southampton Youth Orchestra gave incredible performances for their "Musical Portraits" concert on 11 April at Thornden Hall. 

The concert featured two soloists from SYO, violinist Katie Ho in Saint-Saens Danse Macabre and the Ghin Choi in the 2nd movement of Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto.  Both soloists were simply stunning. It was hard to remember they are both still only in Y13. Huge congratulations to both soloists. SYO were equally fabulous in Coleridge-Taylor's Overture to The Song of Hiawatha and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. 

"Another evening to remember from the Southampton Youth Orchestra.  Under the direction of Kevin Withell and Charlie Mann the orchestra continue to go from strength to strength.  Everyone at Southampton and IOW Music are incredibly proud of all their achievements"

- Zoe Hunting, Ensemble Manager, SIOW Music

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The Southampton Youth Wind Band recently submitted a video to the Music for Youth Regional Festival and received some incredible feedback.

Performing Fanatic Winds by Thomas Doss and How To Train Your Dragon arr. Sean O'Loughlin the band received outstanding praise for their quality of sound, articulation and musicality.  Huge thanks to band director John Hanchett and assistant Sam Proctor for preparing the SYWB and to all the phenomenal musicians for their amazing performances.

"What a fantastically crisp wind band sound you produced from the opening flourish. It was bright, clean, and full of life. It was also wonderful to see such a large ensemble on stage, capable of producing a truly huge sound when required.

This was a thrilling performance from a very well-balanced ensemble. You fully committed to your parts, and, just as importantly, you clearly understood when to go for maximum impact and when to hold back with control and restraint."

- Music for Youth Mentor, Matt Harrison

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The Vibe are launching a new series of free workshops at Turner Sims for 18-25 year olds who are interested in working in the creative industries.

This series of four workshops in April and May, taught by industry professionals including guests from Southbank Centre, Tim Hand Productions and Tomorrow’s Warriors, will introduce careers and skills in live music venues, including;

• Programming (21 April, 6pm) - more info here

• Technical production (23 April, 6pm) - more info here

• Marketing (11 May, 6pm) - more information here

• Event management (12 May, 6pm) - more information here

Booking: Workshops are booked individually so young people can mix and match the ones that interest them, or do all four!

Accessibility: Participants don’t need any prior experience and we can work with individuals to support any access needs. 

Further Opportunities: Young people who take part in at least one workshop you will have the opportunity to apply for a paid role supporting events at Turner Sims at the end of the workshop series. 

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Airplay is looking for new members! Would you like to join our young windband?
Airplay is SIOW Music's Initial Windband.

This opportunity is for:
🪈 Woodwind
🎺 Brass
🥁 Percussionists
*who are Pre-Grade 1 Standard, through to Grade 3*

Rehearsals for Airplay take place during Term Time:
When: Thursdays 4.30 - 5.30pm
Where: Cantell School, Violet Road, Southampton, SO16 3GJ

Membership Fee: £60 per term (with up to 3 free taster sessions)

For further information and to sign up, please use the contact details below or visit siowmusic.org/airplay

Contact: music@siowmusic.org | 023 8083 3648

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