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.
