Music for Youth Announce New Home at CBSO Centre in Birmingham
Music for Youth (MFY) and CBSO are pleased to announce a new working partnership which will see Music for Youth moving to Birmingham to co-locate at the CBSO Centre. The partnership will see MFY and CBSO work together to help support the City’s vibrant music culture and help make Birmingham a centre for young people’s music.
Following a comprehensive feasibility study to decide on a new location, Birmingham was chosen for its lively youth culture and our strong existing partnerships with CBSO, B:Music, local schools, the music service and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Birmingham is already home to MFY’s ‘National Festival’ which brings over 6,000 young musicians from around the whole UK to the city to take part in performances, masterclasses and workshops at Symphony Hall, Town Hall and the CBSO Centre.
Following the move, the first MFY event to take place in Birmingham will be the UK’s first Music Video Festival and Awards which will take place on the 19th of April at MAC Birmingham. Tickets are free for schools, colleges, academies, and individuals. Visit mfy.org.uk/frequencies/music-video-festival for more information and to book.
Emma Stenning, CEO at the CBSO said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Music for Youth to our creative community here at the CBSO Centre. The company’s decision to relocate to Birmingham is testament to the vibrancy of the city’s cultural life, and they will be joining a brilliant cohort of organisations all dedicated to realising the transformative impact of music in people’s lives. We look forward to collaborating with and learning from this brilliant organisation, and to celebrating their fantastic work”.
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England said: “We’re really pleased to be welcoming Music for Youth to the Midlands through our Transfer Programme, offering National Portfolio Organisations support to allow them to relocate from London. It’s great that they have chosen Birmingham, and specifically the CBSO, as their new home. They join a brilliant network of musical organisations and we’re looking forward to working with them to support young people across the area, as they settle in and become part of the already vibrant cultural offer of the city.”
Whilst it’s a challenging time for the city we believe it’s the right moment for MFY to collaborate with the sector for the benefit of the young musicians in Birmingham and the wider midlands region. Our programme gives young musicians at all stages of their musical journey extraordinary live music experiences, and we are thrilled at the prospect of establishing a home in Birmingham while we continue to deliver nationwide festivals and concerts and support the next generation of young musicians across the country.
Best wishes,
Phil Castang MBE
CEO Music for Youth
About the author
Abbie Strowbridge-Knight
Abbie works as part of the MFY communications team, managing content for the website and for MFY's social media. She has a background in performing arts and many years' experience in marketing and communications. She also recently completed her CIM Level 4 qualification.