Young performers take to the stage

Portsmouth Music Hub has been busy giving young people in Portsmouth the chance to take to the stage.

On Wednesday 15^th June the Hub held a performance evening given by children aged 5 to 15 years of age. Portsmouth Music Hub runs a range of music ensembles throughout the year, including a jazz band, rock bands, a wind band and orchestra, and the performance evening was a chance for the young musicians to show off their skills. The concert was compered by 13 year-old Reuben Honeychurch who introduced a range of different acts, including a spectacular solo cornet performance from Freya Leon.

A day later, on Thursday 16^th June, more than 100 children from schools across Portsmouth came together for a Recorder Festival held at Northern Parade Infant School. The primary-aged children rehearsed all morning and later that day they performed a concert, with songs including ‘Winklepickers Carnival’, ‘Strolling in the Park’ and the children’s favourite ‘Recorder Rock’, which had been specially written by Music Hub composer Jonathan Cook.

At the end of the Recorder Festival Charlotte Bouckley, aged 8, said: “Today has been exciting and fun, and I loved seeing all the different sizes of recorder. The best song was ‘Recorder Rock’. It was great!”

In the next few days the Music Hub will be busy with more concerts. On Tuesday 21 June the Hub’s Rock Bands will be performing at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth, followed on Friday 24 June by ‘Singathlon’, a concert at the New Theatre Royal, with hundreds of children singing about sport and healthy living.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub, who conducted the Recorder Festival said: “There’s an enormous amount of musical talent in our city, and it’s wonderful to see progress and passion. When children and young people get the chance to develop their creative skills and perform to an audience they really are inspirational.”