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
