Festival celebrates children and young people
Over 3,000 children and young people from across the region will take part in Sage Gateshead’s Young People’s Summer Festival.
Together with partners across the North East, Sage Gateshead works with thousands of children and young people each year. The three-week-long festival takes place from 23 June to 14 July and is a celebration of young people’s music-making.
On 23 June enjoy a brilliant day of performances and activities by and for young people from across the region, presented by Sage Gateshead’s CoMusica which supports children and young people experiencing challenging circumstances to fulfil their potential musically, personally and socially. Performances on Sage Gateshead’s Concourse and Sage Two will range from hip-hop to electronic music and everything in between. Come and get involved with music activities taking place throughout the day.
A highlight of the festival will see young musicians from In Harmony Newcastle Gateshead join children of the Newcastle West End Schools Trust on 25 June for a day of music, dancing and arts. In Harmony is a national programme that aims to inspire and transform the lives of children through communitybased orchestral music-making.
Alicia and Mario have been part of the programme since 2015. Their mum Adjami said:
“In Harmony is a great programme that has enriched my family. I am very thankful for my children to have been given the opportunity to learn a classical instrument and for the opportunity to have been extended to myself.”
The day will close with a massed sing of a specially commissioned song ‘Together’ performed by children from all eight schools accompanied by Hawthorn Primary Symphony Orchestra.
Over 3,000 school children are set to raise the roof when they take part in the much-loved annual Mini Sing on 27 and 28 June and Big Sing on 2 and 3 July. On the theme of wellbeing, the children will perform the songs they’ve been working hard on in school with support from professional musicians.
On 1 July ensembles and choirs will share the stage in a special Gala Day including a showcase concert in Sage One and free performances on the Concourse, celebrating the breadth and diversity of outstanding youth music from each part of the region. The Gala Day is presented by the six North East Music Education Hubs: Durham and Darlington, Gateshead and South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Music Partnership North (Newcastle and Northumberland), Sunderland and Tees Valley.
This year’s Music Spark Show on the 5 July will include amazing music and dance performances from young people and adults with additional needs from the region and further afield. The event will be planned and hosted by the Music Spark Team – a group of aspiring Music Leaders with additional needs who champion ability before disability.
The festival will culminate with a weekend of incredible performances by students from Sage Gateshead’s Young
Musicians Programme. The weekend will showcase musicians of all ages and backgrounds and see performances from youth ensembles Quay Voices, Folkestra, Jambone and Young Sinfonia as well as training ensembles Folkworks Saturdays, Jazz Attack and Wind Band. The weekend will also feature concerts in Sage One from our Foundation and Step Up programmes as well as Sage Two and inspiring Concourse performances from students on the Centre for Advanced Training.
Rachel, joined Young Sinfonia in 2016:
“Meeting others who have very similar passions to my own creates a fantastic environment and I look forward to playing together before each rehearsal. The overall experience of playing in an orchestra is wonderful as it is such a supportive environment where we can appreciate others’ talent and work as a team to create music.”
Wendy Smith, Director of Creative Learning at Sage Gateshead says:
“The festival is a celebration of music-making from young people across the North East. The diversity of musical performances is representative of young people that engage in music across our region, demonstrating their huge potential and big dreams.”
Find out more at sagegateshead.com
As a registered charity we rely on your support to help us continue this important work and to ensure all children and young people can experience the joy and life-changing impact of music. Every gift, no matter the size, can make a difference.