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

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:

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”

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

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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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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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As part of the SCMP-wide CPD and training offer next academic year, we are delighted to be able to host a day of Carbon Literacy Training for Music Educators on Wednesday 5th November 2025 Online.

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.

Sign Up Now

This year has rounded off with another 12 concerts involving 16 Southampton and IOW Music ensembles.

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

Festival Of Music In The West Wight will take place on 15 November 2025, including performances from solos, ensembles, duets, choirs. On 15 November 2025.

This festival welcomes an audience with a suggested entry donation of £5.

All proceeds are going towards The West Wight Dementia Friendly Choir in Freshwater. The aim of the choir is to keep raising funds to set up other dementia choirs on the island. To date they have been instrumental in supporting the Parklands Alzheimer centre and are working towards supporting a new choir in Ryde.

Performers and Musicians are encouraged to sign up to take part in the festival.

This can be done by filling out the Entry Form (downloadable via the button below) and emailing it to pamwedgwood@yahoo.co.uk

Information about the Festival

Where: The festival will be held at Christ Church, Alum Bay New Road, Totland Bay, PO39 OES

When: Starts at 10 am and finishes at 6pm.

Entry: The performances will be open to the public throughout the day. Entry by donation only at the door.

Performers:

Each performer(s) will be given an allocated slot to perform. This will be sent out as soon as we have an idea of how many performers wish to take part.

If you are involved in a choir, it’s likely that your allocated time will be in the afternoon.

Accompaniments:

If you need an accompanist there will be Dik Wilkins on hand to help you out.

Please let me know if you need to contact him before the day. Prior notice would be helpful.

Instruments:

There is a recently purchased Yamaha C3 grand piano. OR a digital piano available for performances.

Big Sing

At approximately 5pm there will be “A Big Sing” where hopefully anyone who has been involved in the festival, instrumentalists, singers or volunteers will join forces to have a fun mass sing to finish off the day. The chosen songs will be. “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins and “California Dreaming.” There will be words and scores available for anyone wishing to sing in parts!

Full details can be found via the button below.

Please contact pamwedgwood@yahoo.co.uk OR Hill View House, Bedbury Lane Freshwater. PO40 9PD for any further enquiries regarding the festival.

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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.

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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.

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On 5 July 2025 we celebrated a fantastic evening of music, Southampton Youth Wind Band performed at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church in an end of year concert.

The evening included band awards for our talented young musicians, performances from our Award Holders, and recognition of 2025 leavers. We would like to thank all for their dedication, passion and outstanding performances.

This concert was also Kevin Withell’s last performance as an assistant to SYWB, we would like to thank Kevin for all of his hard work, commitment and support to the ensemble.

Below you can find photos and videos from the evening!

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This week marked the culmination of the Sound Out! Project, delivered by London Sinfonietta in partnership with SIOW music and Turner Sims.

Children from IOW and Southampton were entertained at Ryde Academy, Medina Theatre and Turner Sims by  Patrick Bailey, London Sinfonietta musicians and the Sound Out Young Ensemble which was made up of pupils from Carisbrooke College and Upper Shirley High School.

Pupils explored how to compose and create new music, led by presenter Patrick Bailey.

They listened to pieces by living composers, joined in with the performance and heard new work by young people from Southampton and the Isle of Wight.  Pupils from Ryde academy and Bassett Green heard their music created in workshops led by the composer come to life in the performances. The compositions were environmentally themed, continuing to embed SCMP's environmental focus. 

In an article for Southampton Forward, Kath Page shares her excitement for Tapestry Festival, SIOW Music working as an event partner and what this has involved:

“A great example of our work at Southampton and Isle of Wight Music is a project to showcase the talent of local children and young people at the new Tapestry Festival at Westquay on 19th and 20th July, and I’m really excited to be a part of this.

Three city-centre schools took part in vocal workshops to learn a set of songs about Southampton and the areas that Jane Austen would have lived in and frequented. One of the songs, about the many languages and cultures in Southampton, aligns particularly well with the world music focus of Tapestry.

The next phase of the project is a filming day for the participating schools with students from Solent University, who will create a video of the performances to share on screens at Tapestry in between acts, performances and workshops.

Performance can feel a bit daunting, but it’s so important because it helps young people grow – not just as musicians but as confident, expressive and connected individuals. Engaging in performance allows young individuals to express themselves creatively and authentically and this form of self-expression can be really empowering.

Tapestry is such an exciting event. As Event Partner, SIOW Music was involved from the start, helping Southampton Forward put the programme together and recommending local artists via our hub to perform and to run workshops at the festival.

Tapestry is free and open to everyone and it’s completely family friendly. We’re so lucky to have this new event in the heart of the city, attracting first-class musicians from across the UK as well as local acts. I also think it’s vital festivals like Tapestry are bringing a range of music to a wider audience, helping to foster inclusivity, cultural understanding and emotional connection across communities.

We have several wonderful projects coming up in addition to Tapestry, including London Sinfonietta workshops with secondary schools’ ensembles and concert performances for Key Stage 3 students at Turner Sims as well as English National Opera’s ‘Finish This’ end of year composition workshops and performances at Redbridge Community School. Southampton Youth Orchestra’s 60th anniversary concert on Saturday 12th July at 02 Guildhall Southampton also promises to be a great night.”

- Kath Page, Consortium Lead, South Coast Music Partnership, SIOW Music Manager, SCEP Chair.

The full article can be read here.

Tapestry festival

Free Festival at Westquay Esplanade

2-8pm on 19th & 20th July

Find Out More

Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hub presented the Community Stage this year at Turner Sims family day.

We celebrated local talented young people with an exciting line up of performances from performers that take part in Rising Stars open mic nights at The Stage Door as well as performances from Groove Merchant and Groove Syndicate.

Below is an Instagram reel from Turner Sims sharing fun from the day!

“It’s a wrap for Family Day at the Turner Sims Summer Festival 2025.

What an amazing day at the University of Southampton! Music-making workshops, free music outside all day, face painting, families making memories in our beautiful gardens and (of course) in the building where all the musical magic happens!”

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A post shared by Turner Sims (@turner_sims)

We are delighted to announce that some of our talented young musicians and performers from The Stage Door: Rising Stars will be performing at this year’s Southampton Mela Festival on Sunday 13 July!

The Southampton Mela Festival is a long-standing summer highlight in Southampton’s events calendar celebrating Modern and Traditional Asian Culture. Enjoy two days of free music, arts and culture from our partners Art Asia.

The Southampton Mela Festival takes place on Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th July 2025, in Hoglands Park in the heart of Southampton. The festival will open at 12pm with performances starting at 12pm and the final act on the main stage running until to 9pm. Sunday will be a community day with activity from 12pm to 6pm.

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