Bringing Together Young People from Different Musical and Social Backgrounds

The Sub Urban Orchestra - ArtsTrain has worked in partnership with Bexley Music Hub to create a multi-instrumental, cross-genre improvising and composing ensemble for young people aged 13-19 in the borough.

The journey over the two years has been facinating and has highlighted some interesting learning around both partnership working within a music hub setting and how to effectively programme a truely inclusive creative ensemble.

The Sub Urban Orchestra provided young instrumentalists and vocalists new opportunities in composition and improvisation. The project gave young people from different musical backgrounds the chance to work together in an ensemble context, whilst also providing trainee animateurs/music leaders with exciting music leadership opportunities.

The project have also provided a rnage of small and large scale public performance opportunities for young people. With the project on both years culminating with a performance at The Royal Festival Hall.

This two year pilot project was funded by Youth Music and Arts Council Engalnd to offer a model of good practice in inclusive music education and creativity.

The programme began in January 2013 and has delivered two sepearte programmes engaging over 120 young people. All of the local partners were selected to take part in the programme based on their interest in creative music-making but limited opportunities for young people to access.

Each year, following the 4 outreach projects a group of 25 young people put themselves forwards for the opportunity became the ‘Bexley Sub Urban Orchestra’. The groups were led by Arun Gosh in year one and Nikki Yeoh in year two and were made up of young people from a range of musical backgrounds and social backgrounds.

The journey across the two years has been facinating and has highlighted some interesting learning around both partnership working within a music hub envirnment and how to effectively programme a truely inclusive creative ensemble. Take moment to watch the project video and we are happy to share a document with the learning from this project, for more info please email artstrain@mytimeactive.co.uk