Birmingham’s young musicians selected for Royal Albert Hall proms performance

Some 1,500 musicians and singers from across the UK will converge on the capital to perform at the two-night culmination of a year-long programme of concerts and performances held throughout the country.

The Raga and Tala Ensemble from Birmingham Music Service - run by local charity Services For Education – was chosen by Music for Youth to perform on the second-day of the Proms which showcases the brilliance of young musicians and is known for its electric atmosphere and diverse musical performances.

The Raga and Tala Ensemble is part of the award-winning World Music Department run by Services For Education and first introduced in 1997. Each week, 3,500 Birmingham children attend small group and one-to-one lessons in world music. Almost one-in-five are from non-BAME background. Services For Education’s collection of world music instruments, available to Birmingham children on free loan, now totals nearly 3,400 and is believed to be the largest collection of its type in the UK. The ensemble is one of 113 free ensembles run by Services For Education.

In the last five-years, there has been an “explosion” in the popularity in Birmingham of world music instruments: djembe up 216%; tabla - 311%; steel pans - 563% and dhol, a remarkable 768%.

The six girls and five boys, with ages ranging from 12 to 17 years, are from Hamstead Hall Academy, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, Nishkam High School, Nishkam Primary School and Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall. They will travel to London to perform at the Proms which are organised by Birmingham-headquartered charity Music for Youth.

Playing tabla and sitar, the young players started learning the instruments whilst in primary schools and are now taught by Services For Education music teachers Gurdeep Dharni and Harjinder Matharu.

Richard Mabbott, Head of the Music Service at Services For Education, said it was fantastic that the Raga and Tala Ensemble had been chosen and a great opportunity for Birmingham’s young musicians to perform at such a world-famous concert hall.

“We are very proud that the Raga and Tala Ensemble has been selected to be part of Music for Youth Proms – which is also a great occasion to showcase Birmingham’s approach to broadening access to music. We have seen an explosion in interest in world music that we expect to continue. Our aim is to encourage as many children as possible in Birmingham to participate in music of all types and to appreciate the role that music can play in bringing cultures and communities together.

“Giving young people opportunities through music and the arts is crucial to their development - not just academically but also from the perspective of both the personal skills and the resilience it develops within them,” said Richard.

At the heart of this year’s Music for Youth Proms is a new piece from composer Cassie Kinoshi, titled ‘The colour of all things constant’, commissioned in partnership with BBC, The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Ten Pieces project. With words by poet Belinda Zhawi, the commission focuses on the powerful and timely theme of kindness and is one of several works from the much-loved BBC Ten Pieces list to be performed during the Proms.

The Music for Youth Proms is also highlighting the incredible work of music teachers across the UK through its Thank Your Music Teacher campaign to recognise the life-changing work of one dedicated teacher who has gone above and beyond to make musical magic happen in their community.