Get Involved
Current Opportunities
SOUND INVADERS
Wednesdays (during term time) | 6pm – 7pm | FREE
Castle School, Taunton TA1 5AU
Sound Invaders – Taunton’s Youth Street Band – is a group for young musicians who play wind, brass and percussion. The group is run by Tim Hill and Julie Meikle and they meet up once a week during term time to learn and arrange tunes, improvise and generally have a lovely time!
The band made their debut performance at The Sound of the Streets festival 2022 and smashed it! Since then they’ve gone from strength to strength, performing at various local venues and have some exciting gigs planned for 2025. New musicians are always welcome (grade three and above), so if you or someone you know is interested drop a message to tim@thesoundofthestreets.com to find out more.
You can also find out more about what Sound Invaders are up to on their facebook and instagram pages.
CARNIVAL BAND PROJECT
21st September | 11am to 4pm
Bridgwater arts Centre | FREE
After this rehearsals will be on Thursdays at 7.30pm
A new project creating a big band for Somerset Carnival . This is the chance to make a great big noise at carnival. The band is open to all players of wind, brass and percussion and will be playing carnival music from all around the world, especially New Orleans, Brazil and the Caribbean and Somerset inspired tunes.
The project starts with a Day workshop at Bridgwater arts Centre on Sept 21st and will then meet on Thursday evenings. The debut performance will be on Nov 1st – Bridgwater Carnival day and then go on to play other carnivals next year, with the aim of joining in the big carnival parades. You can bring your own ideas too.
The project is run by Sound of the Streets, a charity that brings towns, parks and public spaces alive with the vibrant sounds of street music and inspires and supports children and young people to make music. Their bands Tongues of Fire and The Sound of the Streets band have been playing Bridgwater events for the last four years.
Past Opportunities
STREET BAND WORKSHOP WITH KINETIKA BLOCO (FOR ALL AGES)
July 13th | 10.15am – 12pm
Museum of Somerset, Taunton
Dive into some vibrant street band and carnival music with Kinetika Bloco and you can even join them to form a giant street band out and about in Taunton after the workshop. An exciting chance for all players of wind, brass and percussion of any age. Part of the Sound of the Streets event in Taunton town centre that day.
Contact tim@thesoundofthestreets.com to book your place.
STREET BEATS REHEARSAL
July 21st | 6.30pm – 8pm
CICCIC, Memorial Hall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3PF
Street Beats rehearsal with young drummers
The street drumming group Street Beats wants local young drummers to join them! The band is led by professional drummers Sean O’Hara, Emma Holbrook and Jo Meikle. Using a variety of drums and percussion the groups create strong rhythmic street grooves drawing on the rhythms of Hip Hop, rock, Samba and Dohl and much more.
This is an opportunity to have a go and join in their rehearsal. Email tim@thesoundofthestreets.com to find out more.
‘Beats on the Streets’ is a new project creating young drumming groups. Anyone under 18 can join in, you can be new to drumming or an experienced drummer. Initially based in Taunton and Bridgwater, the project is led by professional drummers Sean O’Hara, Emma Holbrook and Jo Meikle and is run by The Sounds of the Streets. Beats on the Streets gives young people the opportunity to create their own music and offers taster sessions to as many groups as possible, as well as creating young drum groups, training up new young leaders and creating a showcase band, ‘Street Beats’ to develop ideas and demonstrate the idea.
The new bands will perform on the streets, at local events like Carnival and Christmas Lights and could become a great community resource and showcase for the two town’s talent.
YOUTH STREET BAND DAY WITH KINETIKA BLOCO
July 7th | 1.30pm – 5pm
The Castle School, Taunton
An exciting opportunity for young musicians to explore the world of street music with tutors from the amazing Kinetika Bloco. The Bloco is where many of our leading young jazz players, like The Ezra Collective, started playing. The workshop will have a focus on wind, brass and drums but all young musicians can join us and play percussion.
Grade 3 standard and above.
Contact tim@thesoundofthestreets.com or Nic Adams nadams@castle.bep.ac to book your place.
STREET BAND DAY
11am to 4pm | Sept 24th | FREE
Taunton Brewhouse.
Streets bands are a great way to make music and one of the musical wonders of the world. Music for brass, wind and drums full of grooves and life. This day is a free opportunity for all players of brass, wind and drums to come explore this exciting and inspiring sound, led by some of the leading music educators in the UK. We particuarly encorouage young musicians to come along.
Street bands are a great way to develop musical confidence, find out about music from all over the world, learn to play by ear, improvise and develop rhythmic and ensemble skills – all while exploring your instrument.
The workshop tutors include Helen Minshall from Brass Band England, Therese Johnston from the drum group, Boom Dang and Ben McCabe from More Music Morecome. Between them they run Honk! – the Lancashire youth street band. The day will also have tutors from The Sound of the Streets.
To book your place and for more information contact: tim@thesoundofthestreets.com
The day has been made possible with support from Arts Council England, Somerset Council, Sound Foundation Somerset and Taunton Town Council.
STREET DRUMMING DEVELOPMENT DAY WITH KINETIKA BLOCO
July 21st | 1pm – 5pm
CICCIC, Memorial Hall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3PF
An afternoon for drummers and tutors to explore the possibilities of street drumming. This is a chance to learn new approaches and develop ideas with leading drum and percussion leaders from The Kinetika Bloco. This London based youth project is an exuberant mix of young brass and woodwind players, drummers, steel pan and dancers. They create a “unique new British Carnival sound with a decidedly London edge” (BBC Radio 2). The Bloco is where many of our leading young jazz players, like The Ezra Collective, started playing.
Email: tim@thesoundofthestreets.com to book your place.
CPD Day
Tuesday 28th June | 10.00am – 4.30pm | FREE The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Coal Orchard, Taunton TA1 1JL
A day exploring the potential of street bands in education, this CPD session brings together some of the leading practitioners using street music with children and young people.
Street bands are one of the musical wonders of the world and their music has unique potentials in formal and informal education. This is a music that builds musical skills and confidence, is engaging and empowering.
FESTIVAL 2023 WORKSHOPS
Get involved in this year’s festival! All workshops are free and in the Festival Marquee, Goodland Gardens.
Saturday 30th september
Family Workshop 10am – 12pm | Come and make a headdress, play kazoos & body percussion & join our street procession.
Body Percussion 2pm – 3pm | Workshop with Ollie Tumner for all ages. Ollie is the UK’s leading body Percussion tutor!
Sunday 1st October
Festival Band Workshop 10.30am – 12pm | With The Perhaps Contraption – create a big festival band! For all players of wind, brass and percussion.
The Big Sing 1:30pm to 2:15pm | Come and sing some great tunes with Chris Grabham and our house band. Words provided, all welcome.
For more info contact: tim@thesoundofthestreets.com
STREET DRUMMING DAY
12pm to 5pm | Sept 23rd | FREE
The Castle School Music Department, Taunton
Two of the country’s top youth drum group leaders are running this day for anyone interested in street drumming. You might want to develop your skills, learn how to drum, lead your own drumming group, want to start one or just find out more!
The day will look at how to create a contemporary drum ensemble out of modern drum grooves, hip hop, samba, bhangra and more. The day is for all ages, 12 upwards. Bring your own drums or use the drums and percussion provided.
Therese Johnston and Ben McCabe are two of the UK’s most experienced drum leaders. They both help run Honk! – Lancashire Music hub’s street band. Therese also runs Boom Dang, the drum group based in Cumbria and Ben works for More Music Morecombe, the pioneering community music organisation.
To book a place or for more information contact: tim@thesoundofthestreets.com
The day has been made possible with support from Arts Council England, Somerset Council, Sound Foundation Somerset and Taunton Town Council.
Guildhall Young Artists Taunton Workshop
Saturday 9th July | AM | FREE
Richard Huish College, South Road, Taunton TA1 3DZ
This is an open workshop for young wind, brass and percussion players to work with tutors from the Kinetika Bloco – a London based performance group with an exuberant mix of young brass and woodwind players, drummers, steel pan and dynamic dancers. An opportunity not to be missed during festival weekend! Save the date and we’ll be adding more details soon.
