A New Future for Music in Birmingham

A NEW FUTURE FOR MUSIC IN

BIRMINGHAM

From left to right: Nick Reed, Chief Executive, Town Hall Symphony Hall; Jaki Graham; Anita Bhalla OBE, Chair of the Board, Town Hall Symphony Hall Photography by Simon Hadley (Page 2, Page 10), Richard Battye (Cover, Page 4, Page 6, Page 7, Page 9) and Chris Cox (Page 11)

“YOU CAN’T BEAT BRUM”

by Roz Laws

Symphony Hall has launched an exciting building project which is about far more than giving visitors a warmer welcome to one of Birmingham’s best venues.

The Making an Entrance plan is for a large extension on the front, to make room for more free, informal music performances in the foyers. They will provide a platform for talented local artists and make the building more accessible to the whole city.

Instead of just being part of the ICC, Symphony Hall will now have its own dramatic front door and great views over Centenary Square.

Breaking ground on the £13.2 million project, due to open in September next year, were Brummie musicians Jaki Graham, Lady Sanity and Reuben James.

Soul legend Jaki, who grew up in Ladywood, was the first British black female solo artist to enjoy six consecutive top 20 hits.

She said: “I have had the privilege of performing on stage at Symphony Hall and it filled me with pride. I’m honoured to be invited to launch this major transformation, which will provide many more talented local

musicians with the opportunity to perform in this incredible venue.”

The plans include a new café on the ground floor and a dramatic double-height space with a staircase wrapping the audience around the performers. There will be refurbished toilets and new spaces for learning.

Nick Reed, Chief Executive of Town Hall Symphony Hall, says: “The project began as a response to the question of how we can survive with less public funding. But there’s a greater ambition about how we can better share this hall with the city and how we dissolve some of the formality of coming into the building.

“Our ambition is more music for more people. We want to ensure that access is open to all and not just those who can afford it. We’re encouraging and nurturing music discovery and development.

“We’re encouraging and nurturing music discovery and development.”

Reuben James

“We currently reach more than 18,000 people with our learning and community programme and over the coming years we will be able to reach thousands more in the transformed spaces that this project will create.

“There’s something unique about a live performance. It’s unrepeatable, it just happens now in this space, and it lives in the memory. Listening to music together is unifying and something we should cherish, especially in these fractious times.”

The singer, songwriter and pianist Reuben James knows all about how vital it is for talented musicians to get a break, and how playing a free gig in the Symphony Hall foyer can be the start of something big.

It was for him, when he performed with Friday Night Jazz aged just 14. A dozen years on and the boy from Bromford is touring the world with Sam Smith and working with everyone from Nile Rodgers and Mary J Blige to Liam Payne and Little Mix. Reuben, who started playing the piano at three, says: “Town Hall Symphony Hall have backed me from day one. They gave me my first real platform. It was my first taste of performing in front of an audience and it gave me confidence and the belief that you can go after your dreams.

“It’s great that Making an Entrance will give that chance to more musicians. And there

are some really talented youngsters coming up in Birmingham.

“Town Hall Symphony Hall have backed me from day one. They gave me my first real platform.”

“I was a teenager playing with the Ladywood community band The Notebenders when Andy Hamilton took me under his wing. Thanks to him and Friday Night Jazz, I played in the Symphony Hall foyer once a month.

“Then I went to the Saturday club at Birmingham Conservatoire and played the keys for Ruby Turner when I was 16.”

He also appeared in the first Generation Ladywood Showcase 11 years ago.

Generation Ladywood is Town Hall Symphony Hall’s project to inspire youngsters, in an area where 53% of children live in poverty. It includes popup performances in playgrounds, giving children the chance to play with top musicians and giving access to concerts for people who wouldn’t be able to go otherwise.

Reuben, 26, won a scholarship to study music at Trinity College London at 18 but dropped out to work with Sam Smith. He supported him on a world tour and

co-wrote The Thrill of it All, the title track from Smith’s current album.

the-scenes areas to the public. Sanity performed in the orchestra pit in a “cosy, atmospheric” gig.

He’s just released his debut EP, Adore, but still finds time to come home to Birmingham, partly because “my mum cooks the most amazing fried chicken”.

Earlier this year she attended a workshop for female producers and was able to help those with less experience.

He’ll be back at Symphony Hall on 17 November with his own show, in front of his “salt of the earth” home crowd.

Sanity says: “It would be really difficult to make it without the support of places like Symphony Hall.

Rapper and MC Lady Sanity has played to a global audience – but she also cherishes the memory of playing to a handful of people in the orchestra pit at Symphony Hall.

“I’m right behind Making an Entrance. It’s great to encourage a younger audience, who might not feel as welcome. It’s important to know that the space is for everyone.

The 25-year-old’s biggest gig was performing her track Go the Distance at the closing ceremony of last year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.

One billion people heard the track she wrote in her bedroom in Erdington, using a converted boiler room as a vocal booth.

And she feels indebted to Town Hall Symphony Hall for helping her get there.

Every Wednesday night for a year when she was 14, she came to Symphony Hall’s computer suites to learn about music production as part of an Arts Council scheme.

Two years ago she was part of the Inside Out project, which opened behind-

“It would be really difficult to make it without the support of places like Symphony Hall.”

“It’s always special to perform in your home city. I’m in London every week but I’m not moving there as I’d miss Birmingham too much. I love that feeling you get when arriving back into New Street.

“I’m just recording a new compilation of music, and it’s all been done here. You can’t beat Brum.”

Lady Sanity

Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Associate Artists, Black Voices, performed at the official Breaking Ground launch on Thursday 1 August.

Formed in Birmingham by its Music Director Carol Pemberton MBE, the ensemble has gained a reputation as Europe’s finest female a cappella quintet.

Carol Pemberton MBE says: “It was back in 2006 that Town Hall Symphony Hall first added internationally acclaimed Black Voices to their Associate Artists portfolio, so we are very excited at the prospect of new spaces at Symphony Hall for more local artists to ‘make their entrance’ in this most prestigious hall to audiences in Birmingham and beyond”.

Black Voices are embedded in the local music scene and provide education outreach in schools and communities, such as Community Spirit – run in partnership with Town Hall Symphony Hall.

“The project began in Town Hall in 2009, and due to its growing popularity, moved to Symphony Hall in its third year.12 -14 choirs participate annually, bringing over 300-500 voices together. New choirs are welcomed each year, engaged in a mix of foyer and main stage performances”.

In the last ten years, over 4,000 people have taken part and been introduced to a world of music by Black Voices and Town Hall Symphony Hall.

Sharing Music Symphony Hall’s new double-height foyer space will host free or low-priced performances and events – breaking down barriers and presenting local and emerging talent. It will be collectively and creatively programmed to reflect the city.

Making Music Dedicated learning and participation spaces will transform our engagement with schools, community groups, and young artists. It will be an environment that fosters a love and respect for all music, performance and storyt-telling.

Sound Investment Town Hall Symphony Hall would be happy to speak with you about how you could support the Making an Entrance Campaign.

Please contact: Chris Smith Development Manager (Campaigns) Chris.Smith@thsh.co.uk 0121 644 5007

Making an Entrance is supported by

Performances Birmingham Limited is funded by

Town Hall renovation also funded by