B:Music to create 10,000 musical memories for young and vulnerable people across Birmingham and the West Midlands

B:Music, the charity responsible for Symphony Hall and Town Hall in Birmingham, is calling on the public to support its festive fundraising campaign to help enrich the lives of young and vulnerable people in and around the West Midlands through music. The donations raised will enable the charity to create 10,000 musical memories by supporting talent development, providing rehearsal and performance spaces, facilitating workshops, and making music accessible to all.

Many young and vulnerable people across Birmingham and the West Midlands are currently missing out on life-changing opportunities to make their own musical memories. B:Music recognises that there are not enough dedicated spaces for artists in Birmingham to access music and talent development opportunities. The many restrictions of the pandemic and increasing cost of living has meant that individuals are not getting the opportunities to experience live music in world class venues like Symphony Hall and Town Hall. Access to music in schools has also significantly dropped due to lack of funding, with fewer children benefiting from the many advantages that come with being actively involved in music-making from a young age.

The team at B:Music are working to raise funds to make this possible. As part of the charity’s December to Remember Christmas campaign, they are asking audiences, staff, artists and local businesses to show their support by making donations, purchasing memberships, or dedicating a seat to a loved one or a friend in the world-renowned Symphony Hall. In recognition of all donations, B:Music are placing a named bauble in dedication on their Christmas tree in Symphony Hall.

These supporters are then invited to share their musical memories from Symphony Hall or Town Hall with the B:Music team, to make December a time of reflection of the impact music can have, and how it can change lives. With the funds raised, B:Music will champion local talent such as critically acclaimed saxophonist, flautist and composer, Xhosa Cole. Xhosa was born in Handsworth and joined the free-to-attend Jazzlines Ensemble sessions at Symphony Hall as a teenager. He went on to win BBC Jazz Musician of the Year in 2018 and Jazz FM’s Breakthrough Act of the Year in 2020. He is now a Guest Tutor for many of B:Music’s free music development sessions as well as regularly performing at both Town Hall and Symphony Hall.

Speaking about B:Music’s December to Remember campaign, Xhosa Cole said, “Alongside many of the great community organisations that have supported young people in Birmingham, B:Music has been an integral part of my development as a musician in this great city. I've seen some life-changing gigs at Town Hall and Symphony Hall, learned some amazing lifelong musical lessons, played some of the best gigs of my life and made some great memories there.”

Louise Arnold, Head of Development and Impact for B:Music added, “The rising cost of living is affecting many people across the West Midlands, and we want to make sure every penny donated to our December to Remember campaign counts. A £7 donation will enable a child with complex needs to enjoy our annual Families Together at Christmas performance, or £10 will give an unpaid carer 90 minutes of musical rest and relaxation (and a cup of tea!) at our Musical Meet Ups or will give a school child in Handsworth their first live music experience. Anything you can spare truly will make a difference.”

Online donations towards this campaign can be made until the end of December 2022. Find out more and donate here: https://bmusic.co.uk/december-remember