I am very pleased to have been awarded funding from the Philip Bates Trust towards the cost of the National Youth Concert Band course 😁 National Youth Concert Band philipbatestrust.co.uk

The National Youth Concert Band have started their rehearsals with @JonParkes78 too!

I had a brilliant time playing principal clarinet in National Youth Concert Band this week! 😊

Well, that was quite a week and what a way to finish it! Both NCCB and NYCB saved their very best for the concert and it was brilliant to watch. Huge thanks to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and their team for hosting us at very short notice and to all our amazing young musicians for their hard work.

Ahead of a 25th anniversary show here in the Bradshaw Hall on Sat 14 May, colleagues from across @mybcu have been treated to a special performance from The Folk Ensemble led by Joe Broughton. The show is the latest in a regular concert series hosted by BCU VC for all BCU staff.

My first end of year recital at RBC is done! I performed music by York Bowen, R. Schumann, Richard Rodney Bennett and Rabaud 🎶

So excited to share the concert videos from our course at Easter! NYCB - youtu.be/Fe_ER8brpU8 and NCCB - youtu.be/U9mFv6wriwY. Well done to all our young musicians!

Stuck on the #m6 and a band are playing. Traffic hasn't moved for over an hour

I’ve had lots of fun helping out, thanks Hannah Horton for having me back! ☺️🎶

I wrote an article for The Guardian on BBC Young Musician We have to make sure there is a next generation. 👇Follow the link to read in full - theguardian.com/music/2022/oct…

Our future Alexander Elementary Alief Early Childhood #musicians 🧒🏻👦🏻 #dancing at the rhythm 🎶 of the amazing Joe Broughton's Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, the UK’s 🇬🇧 biggest folk band‼️ We can do anything with music- Einstein.🪕🎷📯🎻🪈🪇🪘🎹🥁 Alief ISD #WeAreAlief The Leader in Me ❤️

We are excited to welcome Michael Seal to the Bradshaw Hall tomorrow night as he conducts the RBC Symphony Orchestra in an evening of music that flows and crashes like the sea itself! 🎟️Book your space now! bit.ly/3tSE4OW🎟️

“The arts are not the cherry on the cake — they are the cake.” Opening a debate in the House of Lords yesterday, Melvyn Bragg said the UK should realise the full potential of the arts to transform our economy and society.

“Why can’t the 93% of children in our state schools receive the same musical offering that the 7% in private schools take for granted?” Lord Bragg quoted Howard Goodall in criticising unequal access to arts education.

Many congratulations to all the musicians of CBSO Youth Orchestra (many from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) for a terrific Mahler 5 this afternoon with jac van steen plus a great concerto performance by Jordan Ashman percussion (also of RBC!). B:Music, responsible for Symphony Hall & Town Hall Birmingham City University Music in Birmingham is in great shape!

Devastating news from Birmingham City Council with colossal budget cuts incoming. Arts organisations including CBSO, B'ham REP Theatre, B'ham Royal Ballet & B'Ham Opera Company set to have 50% funding cut this year, then 100% (!) funding cut next year. Absolutely criminal. (🧵)

I had an amazing time playing tenor sax, flute and clarinet in the band for Our House! 🎷🎶