Our Summer Concerts season is underway, with performances from our Ensembles & Young Musicians!

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.

Southampton & Isle of Wight Music and Friends of the Southampton Youth Orchestras will present their annual Pyramid Concert on Saturday 1 February.

Featuring Southampton Youth Orchestra, Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia, Southampton Youth Strings & Elgar and special guests BOOM!

Come along and enjoy this special event at Central Hall!

The full poster, event listing and ticket booking details can be found below.

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Southampton Music Hub's summer concert season started on Friday 24 June with the Lower Tier Concert which included performances from Brassroots, Acorn Strings, Los Twangolitos, Twango, Bella and Soton Voce, and Boom. This performance gave some of the city's younger performers the opportunity to showcase their incredible talents. This was a wonderful varied evening of music making from the beautiful soothing sounds of the guitar groups through to the energy and drama of the percussion group Boom.

"It has been a wonderful concert with such a variety of music. This concert provides a great experience for our younger groups to to perform to a wider audience" — Zoe Hunting

Monday 27 June saw the start of the hub's week long residency at MAST. Elgar Strings started the week off with a varied programme of dance music as well as some familiar repertoire.

"I was so impressed with how the players of Elgar strings coped with playing at such a prestigious venue. Many would have been completely fazed but not Elgar who buckled down and played to the best of their ability with great character and enthusiasm. I am so proud of what they have achieved this year." — Zoe Hunting, Director, Elgar Strings

The second night at MAST brought Airplay and Fusion Brass together - or as they are now known - Fab Band. With lots of numbers from shows and musicals the groups soon had the audience tapping their feet along to the numbers. This was concert saw the first presentation of the Steph Watkins Cup. Steph started Airplay over 15 years ago. Under her leadership the band got the reputation of performing to a level well beyond their years. Unfortunately Steph lost her battle with battle last year and we were delighted her family have presented Airplay with this cup in Steph's memory which will be awarded annually to an outstanding player from the band. We were very touched that Steph's husband and family were able to join us for this performance.

Wednesday evening at MAST brough a complete change of mood with the hubs two rock bands, Groove Foundation and Groove Merchant performing some rock classics. They were also joined by the Guitar ensemble from Upper Shirley High. Many players in this latter group only started learning the guitar in September it was incredible to hear what they have achieved in such a short time. We were also delighted to welcome Carol Cunio to this concert. A former mayor of Southampton Carol presented the Music Services with a cup to be awarded annually to an outstanding young musician. This year's very worthy recipient was the drummer from Groove Foundation, Joseph Orford.

The week-long performance residency at MAST continued on Thursday 30 July with a stunning concert given by Southampton Youth Wind Band conducted by John Hanchett. John only took the band over in January following the retirement of David and Elaine King after 37 years at the helm. It was delightful to the hear the band still performing to an incredibly high level and displaying a range of techniques through a varied programme of traditional wind band music to more popular well known numbers. Part of the programme included a performance of the incredibly complex Jubilee Overture as performed by the Royal Marines Band at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. With lots of plans for the future - including a tour to Montacatini in July 2023 this is a band going places.

Friday evening was a very different event with Hub partners, FolkActive's Youth Ensemble - FAYE - taking to the stage. Players took the audience through a range of traditional tunes from reels to airs. Some were played by the whole band others by solo instrumentalists. Throughout the group performed from memory. It is quite an undertaking for such young players to perform a whole concert without a single note written down. Audience participation was encouraged by one of the group's leaders Tom Gregory, who literally got everyone dancing in the aisles.

Southampton Youth Brass Band performed at MAST Mayflower theatre in Studio 2 on Saturday 2 July as their final concert of this academic year. Under the direction of new band director Andy Wareham, they played a fantastically wide ranging programme including everything from Shostakovich to classic brass band repertoire with plenty of entertaining pieces and a wonderfully enthusiastic audience of friends and family. Whilst the MAST residency came to an end on 2 July, Southampton Music Hub Concerts continued.

Monday 4 July saw the guitar groups Los Twangolitos and Twango give a "picnic" concert in the courtyard at Cantell School. It had been hoped this would be a relaxing evening of musical entertainment on a warm and sunny evening, The music certainly did it's job with beautiful performances from the groups and individuals throughout. Alas the weather didn't oblige with audience members huddled in cardigans and jackets to keep warm against a strong breeze. Not for one note though did this effect the quality of playing.

Tuesday 5 July saw Fusion Brass give a joint concert with Ocean Brass. With both groups affected by absences due to Covid the show went on. Fusion Brass players were clearly excited and inspired by hearing local amateur band Ocean Brass in concert. Most importantly they were able to hold their own in a joint concert of this quality receiving rapturous applause from the audience and fellow brass players alike.

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Thursday 31 March 2022 was a big evening for members of Boom and Airplay, performing at MAST Mayflower Studios. For many of these young performers it was their first concert in such a big venue.

“I was really excited to do my first concert with Airplay. I was a bit nervous but the nerves went away as soon as we performed our first piece.” - Poppy, a new member of Airplay

The ensembles joined forces for one number, the first time they had been able to play together and the concert finished with a rousing performance of Star Wars by Airplay.

Tom Gregory, director of Boom says:

“hey performed brilliantly, what a fantastic first performance. I'm really proud of them.”