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:
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”
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.
Intermediate wind band Pulse8 and the Jazz group, Studio Band, joined forces for an end of term performance on Monday 9 December.
The audience was treated to playing of a very high standard from both groups with some original arrangements through to Christmas favourites.
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.
Imagine & Create is a brand-new digital music education resource developed by our hub, acting on feedback from schools and SEND settings to inspire creativity in young musicians. The idea came from conversations with SEND settings who wanted ideas for composing and creating musical ideas, but it can be used in all kinds of environments from Early Years to older children.
Each "Imagine and Create" includes a 5 minute video based on a theme, with different sections matched to different pieces of music that combine engaging soundscapes with striking visuals, each themed around familiar classroom topics. Designed to spark imagination, these videos invite children the chance to improvise, move, explore and compose music in a playful, accessible way.
Each video has an accompanying teacher’s resource pack which features different starting points to explore the video with children, from drawing and moving, to oracy and language work, to composing and improvising sounds. The resources offer practical guidance, ideas, and activities on how to make use of the resources and help embed music-making into everyday classroom learning. These resources are linked in the description of each video.
The music in the video can be faded to be in the background, with the children putting in their own sounds, or it can be used as a focus for physical response or for playing along (the tracks are in C).
The resource document is just a starting point and we would love to know how you have used the videos and to see or hear any of the responses that your children have made.
We are planning two "Imagine and Create" videos each term. So far we have "Train Journeys" and "Fireworks" available. "Space" and "Ocean" are in the planning stages for the Spring Term. Are there any themes that you would like us to explore? Do get in touch via music@siowmusic.org
This concert includes a free Teacher CPD workshop which is taking place on Monday 10th November from 4:15 - 5:45 pm, in the Lord Mayor's Banqueting Hall, Portsmouth Guildhall.
This session will provide teachers with everything they need to prepare their class for the concert. It will include all the participatory elements, as well as valuable teaching resources and fun ideas. We strongly encourage teachers to attend this event so they can share the concert’s interactive elements with their students in advance, helping them to get the most out of the concert.
Schools can book their tickets online using this link: Explore the Orchestra in Portsmouth Guildhall 2026
Teachers can book onto the CPD workshop using this link: https://bsomarketing.com/p/50JX-J39/eto-teacher-cpd-portsmouth-sign-up
Join us for our FREE Teachers’ CPD and Networking Event on Thursday 13th November, 1:00–4:30 pm.
We’re excited to invite school, FE and Sixth Form College tutors, lecturers and careers advisors to Southampton Solent University on Thursday 13th November 2025, 1:00–4:30pm for an afternoon of hands-on creative workshops/professional training, and social time for networking.
This will be a fantastic opportunity for teachers and careers advisors from local schools and colleges to visit us, take part in a hands-on mini workshop from a choice of subject areas, and enjoy some informal networking time with our teams.
This should be a valuable chance for to build stronger relationships and give teachers a positive and inspiring experience of what we do at Solent. If this event goes well, we will be organising another to showcase even more courses
What to expect:
Workshops (choose one): Photography, Visual Communication (Graphic Design/Illustration), Fashion Media, Houdini for games and CGI, Music – more details to be announced!
Networking & refreshments with Solent staff and colleagues from other schools/colleges.
The chance to explore creative degree pathways, get hands-on with our facilities, and gain fresh insights into careers in the cultural and creative industries.
Why attend?
Refresh your subject knowledge and try something new.
Learn more about how you can support students considering a future in the creative industries.
A great way to meet and connect with colleagues at other institutions who are teaching in similar areas, and share good practice and build contacts in a relaxed and social setting.
Where: Southampton Solent University, SO14 0YN
When: Thursday 13th November 2025, 1:00–4:30pm
Who: Tutors, lecturers and careers advisors with an interest in creative industries.
To book your free place, please complete the short form via the button below:
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.
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
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.
Last Thursday we celebrated the hopes and views of young people in primary education on the Isle of Wight at “Our Day will Come”, a school and singing event led by Southampton and Isle of Wight Music (@siowmusic) and staged at Carisbrooke Castle with @englishheritage with Isle of Wight Cultural Education Partnership ‘Creative Island’.
Around 600 pupils from 15 schools took part in the preparation and performance of the event. The Cultural Education Partnership (Under @creativeisland_iw) were proud to help fund the commissioning of five original songs by local songwriters and songwriting workshops with the pupils.
These workshops produced work that reflected how the children feel about growing up here and making plans for the future. In addition, art workshops with @new.carnival enabled pupils to express these ideas through the production of their own colourfully illustrated flags, that went onto decorate the staging area at the Castle. They asked pupils:
1) What’s your favourite thing about the Island?
2) What’s your favourite thing about school?
3) What are your hopes for the future?
A big well done to all the young people who took part and for their loved ones who came along to support.
You can view Creative Islands instagram post (which includes a video from the event) below.
Find full details and how to book for each event through the link to the listing on our events page.
🎷Studio Band: Studio Band at Eastleigh Concorde Club — Southampton and IOW Music
Monday 23 June 2025, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm.
The Concorde, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 9HQ.
Studio Band (fka Jazz Workshop) is a 10 piece Jazz Band playing a selection of modern & classic jazz tunes!
They will be joined by special guests from Southampton University: Nomad
🎺 Southampton Youth Brass Band: Southampton Youth Brass Band at St Cross Fete — Southampton and IOW Music
Saturday 28 June, 1:30 pm 5:00 pm
The Hospital of St Cross, Saint Cross Back Street, Winchester, England, SO23.
SYBB will be performing 3 sets between 1.30-5pm.
Funds raised are for the church at St Cross, Winchester Bereavement Group, Winchester Young Carers and Winchester Hospice.
🎺 Southampton Youth Strings & Elgar: Southampton Youth Strings & Elgar: Summer Concert! — Southampton and IOW Music
Monday 30 June 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Cantell School, Violet Rd, Southampton, SO16 3GJ
Free entry. There will be a retiring collection at the end of the concert.
🌟 Rising Stars Open Mic Night: Rising Stars Open Mic Night @ The Stage Door — Southampton and IOW Music
Tuesday 1 July 2025 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm at The Stage Door, 78 West Marlands Road, SO14 7FW.
In partnership with The Stage Door and J Fashole-Luke.
Featuring Local Young Musicians.
🥁 Airplay & Boom!: Boom & Airplay joint concert at Cantell — Southampton and IOW Music
Thursday 3 July 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm.
Cantell School, Violet Rd, Southampton, SO16 3GJ.
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the concert.
🎷 Southampton Youth Brass Band: SYBB live at Romsey Bandstand! — Southampton and IOW Music
Saturday 5 July 2025, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm.
Romsey Bandstand, The Meads 31, Romsey SO51 8HB
🎻 Southampton Youth Wind Band: SYWB live at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church — Southampton and IOW Music
Saturday 5 July 2025, 7:00 pm - 9:15 pm.
Chandlers Ford Methodist Church, Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 2GJ.
Southampton Youth Wind Band will be performing at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church in an end of year celebration, including band awards and recognition of 2025 leavers!
🎺 Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia: SYCS live at Royal Victoria Country Park — Southampton and IOW Music
Sunday 6 July 2025, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
Royal Victoria County Park, Netley Abbey Hill, Southampton, SO31 5GA.
Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia will be performing at Royal Victoria Country Park.
🎻 Pulse8 Summer Concert: Pulse8 Concert — Southampton and IOW Music
Monday 7 July 2025, 6:00 pm - 6:45 pm.
Cantell School, Violet Road, Southampton, SO16 3GJ.
🎻 Southampton Youth Orchestra: SYO 60th Anniversary Concert at O2 Guildhall Southampton! — Southampton and IOW Music
Saturday 12 July 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm.
O2 Guildhall Southampton, West Marlands Road, Southampton, SO14 7LP.
Southampton Youth Orchestra present a 60th anniversary concert: Carmina Burana at O2 Guildhall Southampton, performing with local massed choirs.
Our young Award holder & Pulse8 musician Angela was featured on BBC Solent Radio!
BBC Solent visited Beechwood Junior School where they spoke to our award holder Angela about classical music, sharing some of her favourite musical artists, talking about her learning of Grade 4 for Flute and playing in Pulse8.
The audio is embedded below so you can listen to the interview!
Across England, the 43 music hubs nationally will be appointing lead schools, forming a new national network of music excellence in schools.
The appointments follow a comprehensive application and school visit process, during which the SCMP Leadership Team was hugely inspired and impressed by the breadth, diversity, and quality of music-making as well as the enthusiasm from pupils and the support from staff and senior leaders.
The appointed lead schools are as follows:
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP): Baden-Powell & St Peter Junior, Longfleet CE Primary (joint leads - primary); The Bourne Academy and Twynham School (joint leads - secondary) and Linwood School (special)
Isle of Wight: Lionheart School (special/AP) and Carisbrooke College (secondary)
Portsmouth: Redwood Park Academy, (special) St Paul’s Catholic (Primary) and St Edmund’s Catholic School (secondary)
Southampton: Kanes Hill Primary and Mount Pleasant Junior (joint leads - primary); Redbridge Community School and Upper Shirley High School (joint leads - secondary) and Great Oaks School (special).
The Lead Schools will take an active role in mentoring and supporting schools, working together with the music hub to shape, support and strengthen a regional programme of high-quality music education.
The exceptional strength and commitment to music education evident throughout the region led to the decision to establish a wider Network of Excellence, which will bring together the appointed Lead Schools and other outstanding schools with particular specialisms, across the partnership.
SCMP extends sincere thanks to all schools that submitted applications and welcomed Leadership Team visits. The process highlighted the remarkable energy, creativity, and dedication of music educators across the South Coast.
South Coast Music Partnership (SCMP) is the Music Hub for: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP); Isle of Wight; Portsmouth; Southampton.
SCMP are a consortium led by three organisations: Portsmouth Music Hub; Soundstorm Music Education Agency ; Southampton & Isle of Wight Music
Together we lead a strong network of diverse local partnerships to deliver the National Plan for Music Education and provide high-quality music education for all children and young people across our region.
Our work on inclusion is underpinned by an understanding that:
Inclusion is a journey not a destination!
Our understanding of, and our ability to bring about, musical inclusion is always developing. This strategy builds upon the Hub’s needs analysis, and links to our other strategies, plans and policies.
You can read our Inclusion Strategy in full, find links to further resources and training and get in touch about working together via our website.
2025 - 2030 Inclusion Strategy
Find out more via our website and access links to further resources and training around Inclusion.
The Classic Boat Museum in Cowes and the Shipwreck and Maritime Centre in Arreton joined forces to present ‘Shanties and Hornpipes’ — part of the RNLI’s 200th Anniversary celebrations. But the partnerships didn’t stop there. Four local primary schools — Cowes, Holy Cross, Arreton, and Hunnyhill — all contributed to the more than 100 pupils who took part.
So what do you do with over 100 children? Once again, the answer was partnership:
Miko Lisiak from the Isle of Wight Music Hub led the children in learning two new sea shanties…Down the Solent and The curse of Stokes Bay
Michelle Hainsworth from Community Dance IOW taught them how to dance the hornpipe and guided them in creating their own dance based on the theme “How to Build a Boat.”
Sue Bailey from But That’s Another Story brought lifeboat rescues to life through dramatic storytelling, including the moving tale of Joey Attrill’s heroic walk across the Downs to help rescue the crew of the Sirenia.
The partnerships continued into the evening performance, attended by over 40 parents. The celebrations extended from St George’s Church in Arreton to the Coach House Church Hall and finally to the White Lion pub, where landlords Julie and Ian provided food and drinks. The evening concluded with a lively performance by the famous Shalfleet Shanty Singers, whose rousing renditions of traditional sea shanties brought a joyful close to two exhausting but unforgettable days.
- Ian Vallance - Education officer
This week’s 10 Minute Sign & Sing teaches you the makaton signs, body percussion and lyrics to an original song written by our fantastic music hub composer Jo Downs.
‘The Wheel of The Year’ is about folklore and the different traditions within the British Isles that happen throughout each year and with the changing seasons, including May Pole Dancing and Equionox. It was written for the Mardi Gras, so it fuses folk music with some Latin rhythms!
You can find this 10 Minute Sign and Sing in our SongBank, along with many other songs and 5 Minute Rhythm & Rhyme videos, via the button below and on our youtube channel!
The Wheel of The Year
Learn the Makaton signs and lyrics with Vicky and the body percussion with Tom!
Touring to schools and venues across the UK, it is aimed at 7- to 13-year-olds, but is also suitable for parents and members of the community who might be encountering Shakespeare for the first time.
The focus is very much on the storytelling, to bring the audience along with the narrative.
This 80-minute version of King Lear uses an edited version of the original play to create the perfect introduction for young people.
A king announces that he will divide his kingdom between his three daughters according to how much they love him. Lear thinks he will live out his old age with all of the comforts of kingship, and none of the responsibility. But the eldest two daughters, Goneril & Regan, have other ideas in mind – and he has given away all power to stop them. His vanity has devastating consequences for family, nation and climate.
First Encounters: King Lear makes Shakespeare’s play about family, power and betrayal relevant for a new generation of theatregoers.
When is it: 4 November 2025 at 1.30pm
Where is it: Mayflower Studios
How to attend: Tickets are £10. Schools can sign up to attend by contacing Mayflower Studios via this form.
The tour of First Encounters: King Lear is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, which makes it possible for the RSC to expand its tour to work in partnership with more places across England.
🌟 The Stage Door: Rising Stars Open Mic Night
Tuesday 3 June 2025, 6 - 9pm at The Stage Door, Southampton
A monthly open mic night for young musicians in the city, each night will features a house band of local musicians with a wide variety of styles, genres and instruments who host and support young people to participate. Come and support our incredibly talented emerging local artists!
🎷 Studio Band at The Concorde!
Monday 23 June 2025, 7 - 8:30 pm at Eastleigh Concorde Club
Studio Band (fka Jazz Workshop) is a 10 piece Jazz Band playing a selection of modern & classic jazz tunes! They will be joined by special guests from Southampton University: Nomad
🎻 Southampton Youth Strings & Elgar Strings: Summer Concert
Monday 30 June 2025, 7 - 8:30 pm at Cantell School
Our youth strings groups Soutampton Youth Strings and Elgar will be performing in a joint concert at Cantell School, come and celebrate their hard work & listen to their music!
