Brighton & Hove Music & Arts would like to give a very warm thank you to Betty Skolnick for her generous and extremely kind donation of two saxophones to the service. Originally owned by her late husband, Sir David Watson, a great friend and supporter of the music service. Their donation will be of tremendous support to some of our most talented musicians. Sir David acted as Director of Brighton Polytechnic, Vice Chancellor of its successor, the University of Brighton and Pro

Earlier this year the Southern Music Hub Alliance (a collection of 5 Music Education Hubs) was successful in a major bid to Youth Music to lead ‘Our Future Music’, a new programme of inclusive music-making for young people across the South East region. The application was led by Brighton & Hove Music & Arts/SoundCity, for a programme focused on increasing access to music and supporting musical progression for children and young people living in ‘coldspots’ and/or with Special

Soundcastle have recently been working in partnership with Simon Magnus of Root Experience, combining our respective music and movement artforms and enhancing and developing our facilitation practice. This exploration of cross-arts facilitation in a mental health setting which was hosted by Worthing Musem, supported by Arts Council England, Awards for All and Worthing Community Chest and ran in partnership with Sussex Recovery College and Brighton University. We worked with a

The Rock House is Carousel’s monthly gig for learning and non-learning disabled bands at Brighton’s Green Door Store. Attracting a mixed audience of regular gig-goers and learning disabled music fans, it hosts about 60 bands each year in an open and friendly atmosphere. Each summer in July The Rock House Festival brings together lots of bands in day that celebrates a broad range of musical styles from Seadog to the The Daniel Wakeford Experience. On Tuesday 20 November the li

Belltree is entering its tenth year of providing 1:1 and group therapy to children, young people and adults with a wide range of needs including learning disabilities, autism, mental health problems, neurological conditions and dementia in the Brighton and Hove area and beyond. Belltree is a small Community Interest Company which has been mainly a paying service with sessions funded by schools, social care services and private funders. This year Belltree began its first inter

As Rhythmix approach their 20th, they would like to talk to people and organisations who also have a significant anniversary in 2019 to discuss opportunities to celebrate together. We all have experiences of friends or family members spending time in hospital, with a physical or learning disability, with Dementia, or mental health issues. We know how isolating these challenges can be. Music can build a bridge and help us connect again. “You think it’s all lost... then the mu

Brighton & Hove Music & Arts continues to work with Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) on the Furthering Talent programme thanks to a grant from Youth Music. Since September 2017 the programme has been piloting a new approach in the Brighton & Hove area working with two selected schools, Carlton Hill and West Blatchington Primaries, focusing on the retention of students and the influence of the wider school musical culture on student progress. The project has been overwhelmingl

On 1 November, Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) released their new CPD resource Practical Progression, a series of films created in partnership with the five Music Education Hubs currently delivering the Furthering Talent programme: Brighton & Hove, Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and North West Midlands. Brighton's film made in partnership with Brighton & Hove Music & Arts and SoundCity partners (found above) meets two individual musicians and one band an

Preparations are well underway for the Schools Christmas Concert that will be taking place on 3 December at the Brighton Centre. A choir of over 1200 children from the city’s primary and special schools will come together to sing a selection of festive songs, accompanied by Brighton & Hove Youth Wind Orchestra and Big Band. The programme will feature traditional and modern songs in a range of musical styles and will include the Christmas story, Santa Claus and even a Hippo! T

Every year, during weekends in March, young singers, instrumentalists and actors from the city and surrounding area take part in Springboard – Brighton & Hove Performing Arts Festival. They sing, play or act – on their own or with others – in front of friends and family, and a professional adjudicator who gives helpful verbal and written feedback. This is an invaluable opportunity for young people to gain experience and confidence by standing up and performing in front of an