BAND AND BUGLES OF THE RIFLES INSPIRE PORTSMOUTH'S YOUNG MUSICIANS

Musicians from the Band of Bugles of the Rifles inspired young musicians from Portsmouth Music Hub's wind bands by forming a joint ensemble for a day.

The event, which took place on Saturday 16 November, was created to motivate and inspire young musicians, enabling them to perform with professional musicians and experience the thrill of playing as part of a professional band.

Ellie aged 17, said "it was a fantastic day and I learnt so much playing alongside the professional oboist. I even got to conduct the band which was rather daunting, but the conductor was great and really helped me, so I felt very proud of myself."

From the Avengers, Deep Purple and the Greatest Showman to Pastyme with Good Company, the young musicians enjoyed a challenging and diverse repertoire that enabled them all to shine.

The army bands have been excellent supporters of the Hub and were in fact the very first partner to sign up to support Portsmouth's young people over eight years ago.  The Band and Bugles of the Rifles perform at events around the world in a variety of settings including Sounding Retreats, Freedom Parades, Tattoos and community events.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "Playing alongside the Band and Bugles of the rifles was an excellent opportunity for the Hub's young musicians. As the children's confidence increased, so did the standards and great progress was made throughout the day. We are very grateful to the Band and their conductor for supporting our young musicians and inspiring them on their musical journey."  

AN EXPLOSION OF CREATIVITY

There was a touch of Strictly Come Dancing at the Kings Theatre on Wednesday (20 November) when professional and amateur dancers from across the region joined hundreds of local children for the very first production of Dance Explosion!

 A thousand primary-aged children packed the Kings Theatre in Southsea, and for many of them this was the first time they had the chance to watch a range of dance performances live on stage. Dance Explosion! didn't disappoint, and the children were treated to tap, tango and street dance, musical theatre, jazz and ballroom, Indian dance and the mesmerising beauty of Chinese classical dance.

 Dance Explosion was a collaboration between Portsmouth Music Hub and the Kings Theatre, with both organisations committed to developing cultural awareness and opportunities for children and young people in the city.

 Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "Children love to express themselves creatively, whether with music, art, or drama and most children love to dance. Engaging this creativity, harnessing it and offering opportunities for young people to watch, learn and develop, lies at the heart of everything we do. The challenge is to offer surprising, exciting and inspiring cultural opportunities that ignite a life-long passion for music and culture; and Dance Explosion! has, we hope, done just that."

 Over the past 8 years Portsmouth Music Hub has been providing high-quality musical services for children and young people in Portsmouth. The Music Hub's goal is to transform lives with cultural opportunities, and to give young people the freedom to play, perform, participate and grow in confidence.

 Sue Beckett continued: "This is the first time that the Music Hub has co-produced a dance show, and we have been delighted by the range of exciting performances, and encouraged by the positive responses from schools, parents and their children. The fusion of music and movement has been compelling to watch, and we hope that Dance Explosion! will unlock the imaginations and the creative potential of every child that came and danced along."

BIG CEILIDH WEEK!

As part of Portsmouth Music Hub's Musicing Around campaign, which aims to inspire the very youngest in our community to enjoy a life-long passion for music and the arts, Portsmouth Music Hub and FolkActive have come together to bring live music and dance to hundreds of primary-aged children.

FolkActive specialises in traditional dance and they are taking their own very special brand of music, education and inspiration to schools across Portsmouth.

Each year the Ceildh programme raises children's awareness and appreciation of British traditional dance. It gives young musicians the opportunity to perform alongside a professional Band, and it encourages everyone, children and teachers alike, to take part, to laugh, make mistakes and have lots of fun.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "Ceilidh week is always a firm favourite with schools and with all the children that take part. Working with a live band that includes some of the city's young musicians makes the programme particularly successful."

This year, to mark One World Week and Portsmouth Music Hub's One World campaign which aims to raise environmental awareness, the children danced and the band performed Sea Level Hornpipe. The song, composed by one of the Hub's award-winning team of composers, reminds us all to think about the impact our actions have on the climate,

Sue Beckett continued: "Ceilidh Week is a wonderful mix of music, dance and most importantly, fun. It reminds children that team work matters, and when they perform together you can see the exuberance, the inspiration and the growing confidence. Music, dance and creativity lasts a lifetime and these first exciting steps into a world of culture for the very youngest children can make a lasting impression."

INSPIRATIONAL SINGING

There are many health benefits that come from singing. It strengthens the immune system, it improves posture, it helps with sleep. Singing is a natural anti-depressant and it lowers stress levels. Singing improves mental alertness, it widens your circle of friends and, simply put, singing is really good fun!

On Thursday 17 October, as part of its Live Music Portsmouth campaign, the team at Portsmouth Music Hub brought together young people from ARK Charter Academy and St. Edmund's Catholic School for a day of workshops that focussed on vocal technique and singing in harmony. The day included wonderful voices, lots of laughter, and perhaps most importantly it united young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, all of them celebrating their passion for singing and music-making.

The children, aged between 11 and 16 had the opportunity to work with David Lawrence, a renowned vocal leader and conductor with a national reputation.

David Lawrence is Associate Conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra's Community Choir and Senior Youth Choir, and Principal Conductor of Young Voices UK.

With such an impressive track record the children were in safe hands as they tackled some challenging pieces of music including Oliver Cromwell by Benjamin Britten, Weeping by Dan Heymann and David's own arrangement of the classic hit You Raise Me Up.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "Music and singing makes a positive difference in all our lives, it's with us every day, wherever we go, and not only does it bring pleasure and much needed colour to life, but evidence suggests that it has an impact on our physical and emotional wellbeing. Everyone at Portsmouth Music Hub is committed to bringing young people together, to give them a platform to learn, perform and enjoy the wealth of experiences that comes from the art of singing, and having the opportunity to work alongside David Lawrence and to share in his expertise and his passion for singing has made this day completely unforgettable. Live music and singing matters and it unquestionably educates, inspires and enriches us all."

YOUNG MUSICIAN WINS AWARD

A talented young musician from Portsmouth Music Hub's Wind Bands has received a special financial award from the Milton Glee Club to help advance his musical studies.

Ethan Bailey, aged 14, attends Priory School in Southsea and plays the saxophone. He's been learning the instrument since the age of 7, and has performed in concerts at school and with the Music Hub's Wind Band.

Ethan, who also sings and plays the drums, has developed an interest in musicals, with all their excitement and variety, and his current inspiration is the American jazz musician and entertainer Fats Waller. He hopes to go on and enjoy a career in musical theatre and performance.

On hearing the news of the Award Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "We're delighted that Ethan has been recognised for his outstanding efforts; this Award really is inspirational, and we're grateful to the Milton Glee Club, who are making such an incredible contribution to the future of our young musicians. They are paving the way for a generation of talented performers who will contribute so much to the cultural fabric of our community."

A CHANCE TO PLAY WITH A MILITARY BAND!

Portsmouth Music Hub are working in partnership with The Band and Bugles of the Rifles, to offer students in the city Grade 2 +, the chance to play alongside first class military musicians.

The day will consist of presentations, demonstrations and workshops with the band, with this opportunity for parents to watch an open rehearsal at the end of the day.

MUSICING AROUND! - INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION

As part of Portsmouth Music Hub's brand new early years initiative, Musicing Around!, all Portsmouth infant schools and early years settings will receive free music resources that raise awareness to environmental issues. All Schools with children 0 - 5 in Portsmouth will be offered a free workshop which will explore environmental issues through a newly commissioned workshop delivered by specialist music practitioners. These workshops will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Within each workshop children will be told the story of Graham the Seagull and the many ways in which he can help save the environment. Interspersed with songs and music making, these environmental themed workshops will be a truly interactive experience for young children. Musicing Around is a brand new initiative by Portsmouth Music Hub, which aims to deliver interactive workshops, concerts and musical experiences to young children 0-5, in Portsmouth, to develop core skills and enjoy music making.

What we'll deliver:

• Provide free music resources to all Portsmouth early years settings

• Deliver 20 workshops to early years settings

• Raise awareness of environmental issues through music and stories

Why it's a great idea:

Portsmouth Music Hub are excited to present this environmental element of their new initiative Musicing Around! This initiative will help the Hub deliver core musical skills and provisions to an educational area not usually covered by the Hub's funding. Set against the backdrop of one mischievous seagull, early years children will experience interactive music-making as well as learning about other social subjects such as how to treat the world around them.

Steps to get it done:

• Commissioning new resources to be offered to each early years setting

• Produce resources pack for participating schools

• Offer 20 workshops to early years settings

All Portsmouth Schools with children 0-5 including schools with nursery units, will receive access to free resources. These schools will also be given the opportunity to book one of 20 one-hour workshops for their school. Schools will be able to sign up to these workshops via an online booking system and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, dependent on availability. Portsmouth Music Hub are not currently funded to provide provisions for Early Years, therefore this project will allow the Hub to extend its current provision. The workshops will be delivered through additional staffing hours.

Musicing Around is underway with a range of events and concerts coming up at schools across the city.

Check back soon to find out more.

PORTSMOUTH MUSIC HUB CELEBRATES BBC MUSIC DAY IN STYLE

Despite the weather more than a thousand primary-aged children from across Portsmouth schools came together on Thursday (26 September) to spread a little sunshine on BBC Music Day.

They were at Portsmouth's Guildhall to enjoy a spectacular performance from the nationally acclaimed Jive Aces Swing Band.

During an hour-long performance from the Band, which included a 'feet-playing' pianist and a double bass thrown through the air, the children danced and clapped along to unforgettable songs including The Bare Necessities, In The Mood, I Wanna Be Like You and Jump Jive and Wail.  

Wearing their unforgettable yellow suits the Jive Aces joined the children after the show to perform the Morecombe and Wise classic hit Bring Me Sunshine. It was a lively performance was Portsmouth's contribution to BBC Music Day, a national event that takes place each year to celebrate the power of music and the impact it has on all our lives.

After the Jive Aces show Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub, said: "The children have had a wonderful morning, not only have they enjoyed a truly spectacular show from the Jive Aces, but they raised the roof with an uplifting rendition of Bring Me Sunshine. BBC Music Day reminds us all that music matters, that it enriches lives and fires up the imagination, and for everyone involved today those messages have been celebrated in style."

The Jive Aces concert also marked the launch of Portsmouth Music Hub's new campaign called Musicing Around. It's an initiative to take music and song to the very youngest in our community.

Sue Beckett said: "Musicing Around is an ambitious campaign to give Early Years children the opportunity to experience live music, many of them for the very first time. We'll be taking workshops and live music into schools, there will be concerts, films, songs and stories, bringing an exciting mix of music and cultural magic to unlock the imaginations of our newest generation.'

To find out more about Musicing Around visit www.portsmouthmusichub.org.uk and to support the campaign with a much valued contribution visit https://www.spacehive.com/musicing-around-portsmouth