Friends Winter Newsletter - Services For Education

Welcome to the first Friends of Our Ensembles newsletter, where we will be sharing a bit more insight into the world of our Ensembles and what’s been happening.

WINTER EDITION

In this edition you’ll hear from different members of the team about the fun and excitement that surrounded our festive concerts before Christmas, and some of the things we’re looking forward to this year.

Richard’s Reflections

As the end of my first term drew to a close, it was a pleasure to attend so many of our informal and formal concerts. The range of experiences that the young people who access our services are exposed to is phenomenal, and it is delightful to see so many youngsters in high quality and inclusive musical education.

None of this would be possible without our fantastic staff who support and nurture the members of these groups. Through weekly rehearsals our staff impart not only their love of music, but their enthusiasm and zest for life which enables them to be exceptional role models for the students in their care. This is exemplified not only in the amount of high quality musical output, but also the amount of smiling faces from young people across all of our groups which proves what we all know – music is joyful!

On a personal level, being around our series of concerts at the end of last term enabled me to speak to many of you – our parents and friends. I received loud and clear the message from you about how much you value the Music Service, and what a positive impact it has on your children. The Music Service in Birmingham has set very high standards over a number of years, and I’m determined that we will continue to break new ground as we build on our provision through 2025 and beyond.

Thank you for your continued support of our Ensembles, and I look forward to meeting more of you throughout the year.

Richard Mabbott

Head of Music Service

Richard at one of our Festive concerts

Birmingham Schools’ Raga and Tala Ensemble Shines at Royal Albert Hall

In a spectacular showcase of young musical talent, Birmingham Schools’ Raga and Tala Ensemble delivered a memorable performance at the prestigious Music For Youth Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Thursday, November 28th. Under the direction of Gurdeep Singh Dharni and Harjinder Matharu, the ensemble represented Birmingham’s vibrant musical education scene on a national stage.

The day began with media coverage as Charlotte Buxton was interviewed on BBC WM, featuring voice notes from ensemble members sharing their experiences. Following afternoon stage rehearsals, the group joined over 1,500 young musicians from across the UK for an evening of diverse musical performances.

This year’s Proms featured a special commissioned piece by Cassie Kinoshi titled ‘the colour of all things constant’, created in partnership with BBC, ABRSM, and the Royal Albert Hall. The piece, featuring words by poet Belinda Zhawi, explored the powerful theme of kindness and was performed alongside works from the BBC Ten Pieces project.

The Music for Youth Proms, known for its electric atmosphere, showcases everything from orchestral classics to folk music, and from jazz to contemporary pop. Performance slots are highly coveted and available by invitation only, typically awarded to groups who have excelled in MFY’s Regional and National Festivals.

This achievement marks a significant milestone for our young musicians, reflecting not only their own effort, but also the dedication of our staff who made this extraordinary opportunity possible.

Celebrating Young Musical Talent: December Concerts Showcase

Our Festive Concert Series was a resounding celebration of young musical talent and dedication. The series showcased an impressive array of ensembles, from developing musicians to our most accomplished performers.

The Informal Concerts captivated audiences with excellent performances, featuring everything from the energetic Percussion Ensembles to the melodious Wind Bands and Junior Strings. These concerts offer a wonderful opportunity to experience the progress of our developing musicians in a relaxed atmosphere, and it was great to see such a strong turnout of parents, carers and other family members, demonstrated the incredible community support for these young musicians.

The grand finale concerts on December 14^th and 15^th were truly spectacular and showcased the remarkable musical accomplishments of our students. The level of talent and dedication demonstrated by these young musicians so early in the academic year is truly exceptional. On December 14th, the audience witnessed outstanding performances by our Recorder Sinfonia, Raga & Tala, Training Brass Band, Guitar Ensemble, and String Sinfonia, each ensemble already displaying a maturity and precision that typically develops much later in the year. The following evening continued this display of musical excellence with the Guitar Sinfonia, Double Reed Ensemble, Jazz Band, Singers, and Brass Band, whose sophisticated interpretations and technical proficiency demonstrated the exceptional standard of musicianship being cultivated within our ensembles.

None of this would be possible without our visionary Ensembles Team, conductors, and tutors who work tirelessly throughout the year to nurture and develop these young talents.

Fundraising Fun

It has been great to see our Fundraising Team working more closely with our Ensembles Team and events, raising the profile of SFE as a charity – with a lot of parents keen to support us where they can.

Once again, at our Bournville Informal concert a group of parents ran a successful refreshments stall, with young musicians bringing a range of festive goodies for people to enjoy, raising over £430 and selling out of the ever-popular samosas! It worked really well and is something we hope to replicate at other events and rehearsals this year if we can get the manpower to help. Our University of Birmingham Informal concert also raised over £120 in donations which was fantastic

At the Formal Festive Concert weekend, there was more fundraising taking place, with Bearthoven Bear and other SFE merchandise available to take home as well as our Ensembles hoodies and t-shirts available to order, all of which helped raise nearly £300. Our text donate raffle ran during November and December, raising nearly £500, and it was great to speak to the winners, many of whom were parents who had been to the Festive Concerts over the weekend.

These valuable funds will all be put towards our Ensembles activities going forward, continuing the impact we have on our young musicians.

Bearthoven Bear

Enjoying the pre concert atmosphere

Looking Forward

December was lots of fun with Festive Concerts all round, but as we move into February (finally January is over) we have lots to look forward to. Planning is already underway for our Spring Gala Concerts in March/April, over a number of evenings and weekends, and we are excited to say that our Outdoor Festival at the MAC will be returning in May. More information will follow about these in due course.

They may seem a while off yet, but when it comes our Summer Youth Proms we will be in touch with our Friends nearer the time about how you can claim your free and/or discounted tickets.

Dates to remember:

Some dates to remember are listed below, but please note details of which Ensemble is performing on which date will be communicated separately by the Ensembles Team.

22^nd-23^rd March – Central Ensembles Showcase (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)
2^nd-10^th April – Spring Area Galas (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire / Ruddock Performing Arts Centre)
3^rd May – Outdoor Festival (MAC Birmingham)
14^th-17^th July – Summer Youth Proms (Birmingham Symphony Hall)