Southampton & Isle of Wight Music (SIOW Music) is proud to be playing a role in this week’s British Science Festival 2026, hosted in Southampton by the University of Southampton and the British Science Association.

The festival brings together world-leading research, creativity and public engagement, and this year SIOW Music is helping to place young people’s creativity and musical talent at the heart of the programme, amplifying youth voice, strengthening cultural participation, and demonstrating how music can illuminate scientific ideas in accessible, imaginative and memorable ways.

As part of the Festival’s arts-science commissions, SIOW Music is supporting Marine Remixed, an innovative electronic-music project inspired by cutting-edge marine research. Young musicians from Southampton and the Isle of Wight are remixing ocean recordings, scientific sound data and elements from The Ocean Remembers - a major new composition by sound artist Jason Singh and composer Yazz Ahmed.

These remixes will be showcased live during the Festival, highlighting how young producers can translate scientific ideas into powerful musical storytelling. SIOW Music is working alongside Turner Sims’ Assistant Producers - a cohort of emerging young creatives - to co-curate and promote the Marine Remixed performance night. Participants receive mentoring in electronic performance, programming and production, gaining hands-on experience in the professional music industry while contributing to one of the UK’s most significant public science events.

In addition to public performances, SIOW Music is supporting a series of school-based workshops where marine researchers and musician-facilitator Fran Lobo collaborate with secondary pupils to create new songs inspired by ocean science.

These workshops will culminate in original student compositions and a new learning resource for schools across Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

“Being part of the British Science Festival allows our young musicians to connect with real scientific research and express it through music. It’s a powerful reminder that creativity and science are not separate worlds - they enrich each other.”

Looking for a music group to join in Autumn? Our Digital Native Artist groups return this autumn, and as always, are open for new and returning members!

To sign up for each group, please fill out the google form which is linked on the groups page or the event page.

Music Production Collective:

Music Production Collective provides a monthly space for collaboration among young beat-makers, producers and songwriters, in an exciting space at our Music Studio in Mayflower Studios. The club is open to all regardless of your musical experience. If you have a laptop or portable gear, you are welcome to bring it along. We also have gear in the studio for everyone to use.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday 28th September at 4.30-6.00pm

Monday 30th November at 4.30-6.00pm

View fullsize

Girls Make Music:

Girls Make Music will be returning this autumn with two one-day courses for girls aged 8-11 and 12-16.

In this course, we will explore:

• Music Production

• Songwriting

• Recording

• Using BandLab & other music production software!

We encourage exploration and collaboration with each other, fostering diversity and inclusion in our sessions. Girls Make Music welcomes all women, including cis and trans women.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday 26th October 2026 at 11am-5pm (for ages 8-11)

Saturday 28th November 2026 at 11.30-5pm (for ages 12-16)

View fullsize

View fullsize

Mix’Zine:

MIX’Zine is a monthly group for young people interested in sharing new music, music promotion, music events and support.

Reflecting on the social media ban that has come into place for many young people, we have been thinking about how we can run MIX’Zine sessions moving forward, that don’t rely on making social media posts to share our music or what we’ve been up to! So we’re taking it back to its DIY roots, asking what is a ‘zine’?

The word ‘zine’ is derived from ‘fanzine’, a contraction of ‘fan magazine’. Traditionally reproduced using photocopiers or home printers, they can be entirely hand-drawn, typed, or digitally designed. These do-it-yourself publications often embody a homemade aesthetic, taking many forms but are generally a mixture of text and images. - What is a Zine? | Defining Zines | History & Impact | Mixam 

Zines have Punk, DIY, low-budget, self-published roots. They are often free to read, or sold at a small cost to support the individual or collective who made it. They are often collaborative, playful, handmade, and easily re-producable.

We want to put our spin on this, making our own physical and/or digital MIX’Zine ZINES.

We are looking for more young people to be part of this, as this Zine creation will be led by you (with our support of course to make it a reality.)

What kinda things might you want to share in a zine?

• Artist profiles

• Track releases

• Playlists

• Favourite songs/musicians/albums

• Album reviews

• DIY tutorials, tips and tricks

• Recommendations for: venues, events, 

• Interviews with other Musicians, Music Leaders, Venues, Promoters, Organisers, DJs etc

What kinda skills might we use to make a ZINE?

• Collage

• CANVA or InDesign

• Writing

• Drawing

• Collaborating

• Research

Anything you can think of, we’d love to support!

MIX’Zine, of course, has always been about sharing new music, music promotion, music events and support, so to keep this a core part of what we do, we will also be hosting  informal ‘share & listen sessions’. 

What is a ‘ share & listen session’?

• Bring along a piece of music you’re working on, or have recently finished, share it with the group, get feedback & support for next steps! 

• Don’t have a piece of your own music you want to share? Bring along a piece by someone else that’s inspiring you, let’s listen together and chat about it!

So, if this sounds like something you might be interested in shaping and being a part of, whether you want to come to every session or just a few, please sign up for our monthly MIX’Zine sessions via the google form.

Upcoming Dates:

Zine-Making Session: Monday 2nd November at 4.30 - 6.00pm

Share & Listen Session: Monday 7th December at 4.30 - 6.00pm

View fullsize

View fullsize

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

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

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:

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! 

With the new term starting in September, many workshops, classes & groups are starting up again. Below is a breakdown of some upcoming offerings from SIOW Music and our Partners!

Don’t miss your chance to book on to classes including music making, song-writing, singing, creative collaborations and dance!

Digital Native Artist Groups from SIOW Music:

Mix’Zine - A conected commnity for music, events and support - created by young people for young people. Monthly Mondays from 4.30 - 6.00pm.

Music Production Collective - Monthly group sessions for collaborations among young beat makers, producers and songwriters. Mondays from 4.30 - 6.00pm.

Flow - Twice monthly rap group session for young rappers - no experience necessary! Saturdays from 10.30am - 12.00pm.

Girls Make Music is taking a short break, but will be returning soon! Keep an eye out for updates.

All of these sessions are FREE to attend, with support from Youth Music. They take place at our Music Studio, in Mayflower Studios.

See below for further information on our poster and future dates on the events calendar.

View fullsize

Workshops, classes & groups from our Partners:

On the Isle of Wight

Songwriters Den - Learn different writing techniques, find out how to create melodies, chord progressions, try out new instruments, perform your songs at events & festivals!

£28 per month, September - July, half price for anyone in receipt of support services. These sessions take place at Newport Congregational Church.

Contact islandmusicmakers@gmail.com to book your space for September 2025.

In Southampton

St Michaels & All Angels’ Junior Choir - Junior Choir is a wonderful opportunity for children in years 3 - 9 to learn music, practice with friends and sing at monthly services!

Practice is on Wednesday evenings during term time at 6.30 - 7.45pm. Find out more and fill in the application form to join here.

St Michaels are also hosting a Half-term Singing Event on Wednesday 29th October from 1.30 - 5.00pm. You can reserve a space here.

Music and Dance classes by ArtAsia - Art Asia runs a thriving programme of weekly music and dance classes in Southampton. From Carnatic Music to Bollywood Dance!

Run by professional practitioners, we aim to provide the most authentic, high quality classes in the region.

Boost your confidence, learn something new, keep fit with classes from professional tutors in Southampton.

Join at the start of term. New timetables are available and booking is open. You can find more information on ArtAsia’s music and dance classes and Book via their website.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Carla, MIX’Zine and Music Production Collective member, has created some new tunes in our Music Studio at Mayflower Studio.

Galaxies is an original song written and composed by Carla!

One Small Step is a remix by Carla, using English National Opera’s Finish This…

In our last MIX’Zine session, Carla used Canva to create album covers for both pieces of music, which she then shared to our MIX’Zine instagram page!

You can view the posts below and hear the music, as both posts have the music embedded!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mix'Zine South (@mixzinesouth)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mix'Zine South (@mixzinesouth)

Congratulations to Anya Victoria who has officially released her debut single 'One More Chance'. 

Anya Victoria is a young emerging artist making 2000s dance pop and occasionally rock music.

She started song writing at the age of 15 and now at 17 has released her debut single 'One More Chance'.

Anya came into our Music Studio at Mayflower Studios to record the vocals for this song, with support from Matt Brombley, our Inclusion Lead. She then mixed and mastered the song herself, learning a lot through the process.

You can listen to ‘One More Chance’ on Spotify via the button below and follow to keep up with her future releases. We have also added it to our MIX’Zine page, where you can also submit your music for MIX’zine to share!

One More chance

Debut single by Anya Victoria

Listen on Spotify

Mix’zine

A connected community for music, events and support, created by young people, for young people. Sharing new music, music events, and support opportunities for young musicians.

Find Out More

Interested in recording in our Music Studio?

The Music Studio is a digital recording space run for, and by, young people, as part of Southampton Music Hub's Digital Native Artists Programme.

The music studio exists to help young people make, shape and lead music which matches their interests, helps them achieve their ambitions, and meets their needs. This is particularly true for children and young people who face barriers and challenges in their lives that might get in the way of them making music.

The studio is equipped with a powerful iMac running Logic, Ableton Live and more, with studio monitors and a studio mic. There is also a small PA in the space for live rehearsals.

View fullsize

Carla, aged 14, has been attending our monthly Mix’Zine sessions as part of our Digital Native Artists group. Mix’Zine is a connected community for music, events and support - created by young people, for young people.

Carla is a talented singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, and has been working on creating her own music. In our November and December Mix’Zine sessions, we took the opportunity to create a short lyric video for the first verse of her new song ‘Galaxies’. We created this video in CapCut, a free editing software.

You can now listen to and watch the lyric video on our Digital Native Artists youtube channel and Mix’Zine instagram!

Are you interested in doing something similar? Then join Mix’Zine!

You can sign up and find out more about the group here, or send us your music so that we can share it for you!

jOIN mIX’ZINE!

Do you want to learn how to create a lyric video, how to promote your own or others music, or do you have an idea you would like try out?

We can help at Mix’Zine sessions!

Find out more

Submit your music!

Are you a young singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, rapper, beat-maker, music producer?

Mix’Zine can share & promote your music for you!

SUBMIT HERE

View fullsize