Looking to a band performing from the crowd, with other crowd members in front.

Applications for the 2024-25 Vibe Collective are now open!

Calling music lovers aged 18-25! We are looking for 10 Southampton-based 18-25-year-olds to create music events for young people at Turner Sims, one of the city's top music venues.

November 4, 2024

Our 10 recruits will form The Vibe Collective. This group will work with industry professionals to plan and present gigs and events for young people at Turner Sims, the music venue at University of Southampton. We are looking for people with a range of musical tastes who are passionate about the music scene in Southampton. You’ll gain incredible experience of working in the music industry along the way.

The Vibe has definitely changed how I see arts and culture in the city. Turner Sims saying you guys aged 18-25, you are going to shape the next 20 years in the city and we value your opinions - that was really special.
Josh, The Vibe Collective 2023-24

How to apply

Interested? Apply by Monday 25 November at 12pm by completing this simple form.

If you would prefer to have this information in a non-written format please email Frankie McCormick.

There is also an opportunity to apply in a non-written format. You could create a video or voice note application (5-8 mins), or submit your application in any form that you choose. There is more information about this on the application form.

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Young girl stood on steps looking down at Turner Sims stage with rainbow lights highlighting the brickwork and audience sat either side

Intern Insights: Summer Family Day Recap

Our intern Megan gives us a recap of her experience during Summer Family Day 2024.

July 31, 2024

Summer Family Day 2024 was an absolute hit with both kids and parents alike! In anticipation of upcoming family events like Winter Family Day (Sunday 24 November), our Concert Promotions Intern, Megan Harrison takes a look back to July to show you what amazing family events are held here at Turner Sims…

On Sunday 30 June I got the amazing opportunity to help out on Summer Family Day and see the event first hand! Turner Sims and the nearby outside areas of Highfield campus were full of liveliness, music, and delicious food stalls. The day was filled with fun activities, music and performances that, together, created a day of musical family fun!

Throughout the day, the Turner Sims foyer was busy with face painting and crafts. Paper artist Nathan Ward ran an all-day drop-in workshop where children could create their own unique bugs. The face painting and crafts were extremely popular, and I saw lots of happy children with uniquely painted faces and others carrying around the paper bugs they had made.

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The first event of the day was the David Gibb Big Band, which filled the morning with lots of noise in the main concert hall. I heard it was a really imaginative show! Soon after, there was a Big Bug Hunt in the gardens, where kids and families looked for all sorts of different insects on Highfield campus. The children were particularly keen on the stickers they got as a reward for finding all the bugs!

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At the Community Stage, many local performers came to put on amazing shows. There was a great variety of people – we had a dance group and a local youth orchestra give fantastic performances. It was great to see Turner Sims and the community supporting these local artists.

Jham! was extremely popular, with the fusion of classical Indian dancing and more modern styles of music creating an exhilarating outdoor show. The audience was thrilled by the dancing and lots of people stood up and got involved in the dancing themselves!

In the afternoon, another show in the concert hall called JUMP was on. Following the creepy-crawly theme of this Family Day, JUMP, composed by Karen Wimhurst, combined field recordings of insects and amphibians with clarinet music.

The Puppetry and Conducting Workshop was held under the marquee. The workshop began with the puppet Pythagoras conducting for an accordion player, showing how his movements influenced her playing. After this, newspaper and tape were held out and the kids and grown-ups created their own puppets to conduct with! As someone who’s taken conducting classes, I think this was a really clever and engaging way of introducing conducting to children.

The final event of the day was Creative Beats Workshop, which ended summer Family Day on a high note. Led by Yetta and Emma, members of YES! Creative Beats from the Isle of Wight, kids and grownups played boom-whackers and hand percussion in time with recorded tunes. The energy from Yetta and Emma was amazing and kept everyone engaged, so much so that even the Arts at University of Southampton Student Ambassadors were joining in!

There was lovely positive audience feedback and families had an amazing time. The atmosphere the entire day was so vibrant and cheerful that I couldn’t help but enjoy myself!

Check out some of these amazing photos taken on the day by Nosa Malcolm…

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Young woman wearing sunglasses and a light blue t-shirt

Intern Insights: Meet the Intern & Autumn 2024 Playlist

Get to know our new Concert Promotions intern and check out her top picks this season!

July 18, 2024

Hey there, my name’s Megan and I’ll be the Concert Promotions intern for this summer! I’m really excited to have this amazing opportunity to work at Turner Sims!

I’ve just finished second year doing music at the University of Southampton. I’m a lover of all things music: I’ve composed music for a variety of different instruments, and I’ve played in many ensembles such as classical orchestras and rock, folk and jazz bands as a flute and sax player. Since coming to Southampton, I’ve really enjoyed the vibrant music scene the city has, and I feel that I’ve discovered so many new kinds of music since coming here!

One venue that I’ve spent a lot of time in is, of course, Turner Sims! I’ve always been a fan of the lunchtime concert series and seeing the variety of different artists that perform there. I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to both perform and watch my course-mates and friends perform at Turner Sims. I decided to take on this internship because I love the venue and I believe that marketing is extremely important for musicians. I want to make sure that, during my internship, I can encourage as many people as possible to come to Turner Sims and enjoy what the venue has to offer! I’m extremely grateful to the team for giving me this great opportunity and I’m excited for what’s to come!

I’ve created a playlist for the upcoming autumn season with all my favourite tracks that I’ve discovered from artists in our upcoming season at Turner Sims. What better way to get a taste of the season then to listen to some of the tunes yourself?

Check out our Autumn 2024 season brochure here.

Courtney Pine – Tico Tico

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To start us off, we have a tune from the legendary saxophonist Courtney Pine. His multi-cultural album is full of groove, energy and virtuosic soloing. For this track, Pine takes the theme from Tico-Tico no Fubá by Brazilian composer Zequinha de Abreu and adds his own jazz spin on it with sporadically fast soprano sax melodies and soloing alongside a beat that never lets up.

N’famady Kouyaté – Balafô Douma

One of my favourites from the playlist, N’famady Kouyaté’s earworm Balafô Douma seamlessly incorporates both Mandingue African and funk music. The combination of the balafon – a traditional wooden xylophone that Kouyaté’s plays, and horns creates an interesting blend of sounds. The improv sections in this track are particularly enjoyable, with the interwoven saxophone and trumpet melodies mashing well together, and the beginning of the guitar solo being particularly satisfying.
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N'famady Kouyaté - Balafô Douma (Official Music Video)

Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – Bouyancy Theory

The combination of quirky sounds from analogue synths and orchestral recordings from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales create a unique tune. Like the name suggests, the song has a floaty and lively quality to it, with moments of urgency and tension.

Angeline Morrison – Go Home

‘Of all The Sorrow Songs, this is the only one that is not specifically rooted in a particular time, place or individual’s story.  This song is for all the people who have ever been made to feel unwelcome in the place they have chosen to call home.’ Angeline Morrison

The Sorrow Songs: Folk Songs of Black British Experience is an amazing album that turns the (previously) unsung stories of black ancestors living in the UK into traditional folk songs. Angeline Morrison’s deeply beautiful voice combined with the melancholic, brooding tone of this song portrays both past and current experiences of prejudice.

The Rheingans Sisters – The Yellow of the Flowers

For a happier and more uplifting folk tune, The Yellow of the Flowers by The Rheingans Sisters is a good pick. It opens with a beautiful fiddle melody and progress to uplifting vocals. This song has a warm, reminiscent and nostalgic quality with mentions of school and childhood in the lyrics. Hearing this gorgeous folk music makes me excited to hear the sisters’ 5th studio album!
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Welsh National Opera Orchestra – Josef Strauss Delirien (Delirium) Waltz

With an opening full of dramatic suspense that turns to a lighter mood once the waltz is introduced, Strauss’ Delirien Waltz will bring excitement to the new year with Welsh National Opera’s Performance of this stunning piece. My favourite moment is the playful yet graceful flute solo towards the beginning that segues perfectly into a grandiose tutti orchestra.

Natalie Clein – Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38: I. Allegro non troppo

I was hard pressed to not include one of Brahms’ most beautiful sonatas. This expressive yet moody, haunting yet romantic piece is captured by the richness of Natalie Clein’s playing.

Check out the full playlist here:

Four young men wearing casual clothes, sat in the front row of Turner Sims' hall

The Future Producers: a Turner Sims and UoS Music Partnership Project

Learn more about the 2024 Future Producers team, the FRAZ Collective!

June 12, 2024

Future Producers is a partnership project between Turner Sims and the University of Southampton Department of Music, giving a unique opportunity to a group of music students to programme concerts at Turner Sims and community venues. These students get the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals to learn new skills and gain experience planning, producing and delivering live music events.

Who are we?

Our 2024 team of Future Producers are the FRAZ Collective – Frankie, Ralph, Angelo and Zephyr. Brought together by a shared passion for music and experimentation, we are a team of four first year music students looking to bring new ideas and styles of music to Turner Sims. With a shared love for electronic and jazz music, we are hoping to bring a vibrant, youthful audience to Turner Sims with two upcoming concerts.

What are our aims?

We want Turner Sims to be at the forefront of an engaging music scene in Southampton and entice a new demographic of young people to discover the progressive and experimental musicians that Turner Sims showcases. One of our most important aims is to serve the community in Southampton – which is why one of our two concerts is in collaboration with Friends of St James’ Park’s Summer Festival on the 15 June. Turner Sims will have a one hour takeover at this event with the seven piece jazz and funk band Side Eye and alternative rock band Zero Saints bringing amazing live music to the community.

How will we achieve this?

In both of our concerts, we will be booking what we believe to be on trend and current. By putting on interesting and engaging musical performances that stand out from the crowd, we hope to create a buzz around what we are showcasing. We’ve got some amazing music in store that we’re thrilled to share, so stay tuned and watch this space!

Frankie, Ralph, Angelo, Zephyr (FRAZ Collective)

A group of 12 young people stood on stage at Turner Sims

Introducing The Vibe Collective: A New Wave of Music Events at Turner Sims

Hey there music enthusiasts and curious souls!

April 23, 2024

We’re excited to share the buzz about our latest adventure – The Vibe Collective. Nestled in the vibrant heart of Southampton, we, a dynamic team of fourteen young creatives, are on a mission to shake things up at Turner Sims and bring you a fresh wave of live music experiences like never before.

Setting the Stage: The Vision and Mission

Before we dive into the beats and melodies, let’s sync up with the grand vision of Turner Sims – connecting communities locally and globally through the sheer joy of live music. Our mission? To share that joy by delivering extraordinary experiences within and beyond the walls of our favourite music venue.

The Vibe Collective’s Mission – Let the Music Speak!

Our mission, should you choose to accept it (and trust us, you want to), involves planning, programming, and delivering mind-blowing live music events at Turner Sims, aptly named ‘The Vibe.’ Picture this: unforgettable events this spring and summer that are set to sizzle. But wait, there’s more! We’re not just bringing you the same old tunes; we’re scouting talent from across the country and celebrating the homegrown gems right here in Southampton. Turner Sims is about to become the go-to venue for an eclectic mix of musical styles that will tickle every auditory fancy.

Where the Magic Happens: The Turner Sims Foyer Transformation

Ever wished the Turner Sims foyer felt a bit more like your kind of space? Well, buckle up! We’re playfully experimenting with transforming the foyer into a haven for young souls. Imagine a space that invites you in, teases your creativity, and sets the stage for unforgettable moments.

A Bold Identity and Fresh Vibes: On and Off the Stage

The Vibe Collective isn’t just about the music; it’s about crafting a bold identity. We’re the consultants on a mission – developing an identity that screams ‘The Vibe’ and makes waves on websites, marketing materials, and social media. Get ready to spot The Vibe from a mile away!

Calling All Young People: A New Audience Unveiled

Are you between 18 and 25 and seeking a new musical haven? Look no further! The Vibe Collective is here to devise innovative ways to attract you, build trust, and make Turner Sims your go-to spot. Your feedback will be our compass as we navigate this exciting journey together.

In Closing: A Symphony of Collaboration, Learning, and Ambition

As we embark on this thrilling venture, collaboration is our anthem. The Vibe Collective is not just a team; it’s a family, working hand-in-hand with the incredible Turner Sims staff. Recognising diverse skills, embracing learning, and daring to experiment are our guiding principles. Turner Sims has set the bar high for live music experiences, and The Vibe Collective is rising to the challenge. We’re fuelled by ambition – the ambition to deliver nothing short of exceptional, to present amazing artists, and to gift you, our audience, with extraordinary experiences. Get ready to catch The Vibe, Southampton! We’re turning up the volume, breaking the mold, and ushering in a new era of live music magic.

 

Stay tuned for the rhythm of The Vibe Collective!