Become a friend

Members of The Friends of Services For Education help us to run our free Ensembles.

Every year, we bring together 2,000 young people from across Birmingham and form over 70 ensembles, specialising in a variety of instruments.

All of our ensemble members are nurtured and supported by our skilled professional tutors and conductors, developing their confidence and musical abilities.

Members will also take part in memorable performances on the stages of Birmingham’s most prestigious venues, celebrating their musical achievements to packed audiences.

We do not charge for our ensembles because imposing a charge would create an immediate barrier for many families who would struggle to afford these costs.

At Services For Education, we believe that the ensemble experience is absolutely crucial to any high-quality musical education and we think that all children should have an opportunity to take part in one.

Playing in an ensemble allows the musicians to feel socially connected and gives them an opportunity to share their passion for music and performing with others.

Playing music together has been proven to increase confidence in individuals, whilst enhancing skills in other areas of a child’s development.

Find out more about our ensembles here.

Contributions from The Friends help us to keep area and central ensembles free for all. They also enable us to provide free instrument loans to young people who might need them, making the ensembles more accessible to everyone.

Area Ensembles.
Some of the first opportunities young musicians will have to experience music making. 36 ensembles aim to provide 20 hours of music a year for children beginning their musical journeys. These cost us £125.10 per year, per student, per ensemble.
Central Ensembles.
These ensembles are designed for intermediate to advanced performers. Ensembles rehearse every week and members benefit from over 100 hours of specialist tuition. Entry is via a successful audition. These cost us £204.50 per year, per student, per ensemble.

Please see our donation suggestions below and remember, every donation helps.

£36 or £3pcm – our recommended minimum voluntary contribution
£72 or £6pcm if you would like to make a contribution towards an additional ensemble place
£204 or £17pcm could help fund a young persons’ ensemble seat for a year in its entirety

You can become a Friend by making a donation of as little as £3 per month.

Click here or on the button below to become a Friend today.

Or, if you’d like to have a chat first, please feel free to contact us, via email at fundraising@servicesforeducation.co.uk or by telephone on 0121 366 9950.

Thank you.