Free summer school course for local young people and live jazz at Symphony Hall in August, in partnership with Jazz FM

B:Music, the music charity responsible for Birmingham’s Town Hall and Symphony Hall are delighted to announce that their Jazzlines Summer School returns later this year, as they look forward to opening their doors once again to young musicians from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. This year’s free, non-residential course will run from Monday 22 to Friday 26 August for young people aged between 11 and 19 and takes place at the world-renowned Symphony Hall in the heart of Birmingham. Applications for this year’s summer school close on Friday 1 April.

The Jazzlines Summer School offers a comprehensive and broad-ranging programme. The course is designed to develop key skills in aural training, ensemble musicianship, jazz repertoire and harmony and is suitable for those who aspire to further their music studies as well as those who simply wish to learn new skills in an atmosphere which is fun, supportive and encouraging.

The Jazzlines Summer School is led by the world-renowned trumpeter and bass player Percy Pursglove and professional vocalist and songwriter Sara Colman, both experts in helping young musicians build their skills in a way that is best suited to each individual. They are supported by an experienced group of Jazzlines tutors, music educators and specialist jazz performers from the Birmingham and UK jazz scene such as Shabaka Hutchings, Kit Downes, Yazz Ahmed and Nikki Isles.

B:Music’s Talent Development Manager, Richard Foote said, “The free-to-access Jazzlines Summer School is one of B:Music’s flagship talent development programmes which gives many young musicians their first foray into the world of jazz, and also into Birmingham’s iconic Symphony Hall. This week-long course taking place in August is open to all young musicians from Birmingham and the surrounding areas aged 11 to 19 years old and is delivered by the country’s top jazz musicians and educators. Now in its tenth year, the Jazzlines Summer School has seen musicians such as Reuben James, Xhosa Cole and Alicia Gardener-Trejo come through its doors.

In this year’s celebrations, we will be welcoming the next generation of jazz talent to take part. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural B:Jazz festival, which runs alongside the Summer School, we will be putting on fresh, engaging and not-to-be-missed concerts in Symphony Hall’s amazing spaces, and we will be giving our summer school participants access to these performances enabling them to fully experience this amazing music live.”

Hear what our participants thought of Jazzlines Summer School in 2021

The Jazzlines Summer School Experience

With a range of guest tutors in the city, the Summer School will run in conjunction with the B:Jazz Festival in partnership with Jazz FM, where audiences will be able to enjoy free and low-cost performances at The Spotted Dog in Digbeth, on stage at Symphony Hall and in Symphony Hall’s Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space. Like the UK’s leading national commercial radio service for jazz, soul and blues, the week of music from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 August will showcase the full spectrum of jazz and includes performances from international touring artists to local community bands.

Jazz FM’s Content Director Nick Pitts says, “After the success our first partnership with B:Music last August around their celebration of jazz, we are absolutely thrilled to be working with them again this year. This already looks like it’s going to be a fantastic celebration of Birmingham’s young and vibrant jazz scene, which has seen a wonderful resurgence after a tough couple of years. Jazz FM has always been a passionate supporter of UK jazz education, and we are delighted to work with the brilliant B:Music to help spread the good word on this project, including a number of music and interview specials as well as a broadcast from Symphony Hall on our nationwide platform.”

B:Music’s Jazzlines Summer School is in partnership with Jazz FM and is very kindly supported by PRS Foundation, Arts Council England, George Henry Collins Charity, Grantham Yorke Trust, Michael Marsh Charitable Trust and Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation as Talent Development Partners, supporting and inspiring the next generation of the city’s musical talent.