News Story
B:Music's acclaimed Summer School returns to Symphony Hall for an inspiring week of collaborative music making, creativity and performance.
Designed for instrumentalists and vocalists of all abilities, the five-day programme explores the rich traditions of jazz and its influence on contemporary genres including R&B, soul, funk, and hip hop. Participants will develop skills in improvisation, harmony, ensemble performance and composition before showcasing their work in performances at the end of the week.
This year's Summer School has expanded thanks to the Helen Walsh Talent Development Fund, enabling more bursaries than ever before and allowing a record number of young people to take part. Free places, together with free lunches and travel, are available for eligible participants through B:Music's bursary scheme, ensuring that financial circumstances are never a barrier to musical opportunity.
Throughout the week, participants will work with an outstanding team of professional musicians, educators and industry experts from a range of musical and cultural backgrounds. Many of the tutors began their own musical journeys through B:Music's talent development programmes, demonstrating the lasting impact of the organisation's commitment to nurturing young talent.
Alongside daily ensemble sessions, students will take part in a masterclass exploring creative, non-traditional ways of using instruments and the voice, discovering how sound, rhythm and language can become powerful tools for self-expression.
Returning as Creative Director for a second year is bassist, composer and educator Shiv Matwala, whose own journey perfectly embodies the programme's impact.
Shiv first attended B:Music Summer School in 2012 as a 15-year-old with little experience of jazz. Inspired by the professional musicians he met through the programme, he went on to become a support tutor, then lead tutor, before graduating from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and establishing a successful career performing, composing and touring across the UK and Europe.
Today, he returns to lead the very programme that helped launch his career.
Shiv Matwala, Creative Director of B:Music Summer School, said: "When I first came to Summer School as a teenager, I wasn't even a jazz musician. It introduced me to a whole new musical world and gave me the opportunity to learn from working professionals in a way that simply wasn't available anywhere else.
What makes this programme so special is the community it creates. Young people from different backgrounds come together, make music together and often form friendships that last for years. Some of my closest friends today are people I met through Summer School.
This year we're exploring the theme of self-expression, encouraging every participant to discover their own musical voice, whatever their experience or ability. It's about giving young people the confidence to be creative, collaborate and express themselves through music."
The programme reflects B:Music's long-standing commitment to developing the next generation of musicians by creating clear pathways from participation to professional careers.
This year's theme of self-expression encourages participants to explore their own identity through music, while learning how jazz has evolved and continues to influence today's musical landscape.
The week concludes with informal showcase performances on Thursday and Friday, giving participants the opportunity to share their work with family and friends in the world-class surroundings of Symphony Hall.
