Festive Concerts 2024

14th – 15th December 2024
Ruddock Performing Arts Centre

CONCERT PROGRAMMES

These concerts will feature music from a variety of genres and are a culmination of the work SFE has been doing in schools and at ensemble centres throughout 2024.

There is something joyous about young people coming together to perform music and song and at no time is this more apparent than our annual Festive Concerts. I know we are in for a real treat as the next generation of talented musicians and singers from Birmingham schools perform on stage.

For many of the children taking part, this will be their first concert with one of our 113 ensembles. They follow in the footsteps of thousands of Birmingham school children who have performed both in the city and further afield. Last month for instance, our Raga and Tala Ensemble represented Birmingham at the Music for Youth Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall: a showcase of talent from across the country bringing together 1,500 young people.

For me, tonight is especially significant. I joined Services For Education in September. Since then I have been astonished and impressed by the commitment of school children, our music tutors, Birmingham schools and our partners including Arts Council England and, especially relevant tonight, the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre.

Tonight’s Festive Concert celebrates not only the time of the year but their achievements also. I hope everyone – performers, audiences and organisers – have a wonderful evening.

Seasons greetings,

Richard Mabbott

Head of Music Service

Programme details

Saturday 14^th December 2024 – 7.00pm
Ruddock Performing Arts Centre Map

Compere – Paul Douglas

Birmingham Schools’ Recorder Sinfonia

Conductor: Michelle Holloway

Jingle Bells	arr. Steve Marshall
Medieval Triptych	arr Annabel Knight
O, Little Town of Midwinter	Steve Marshall
Variations on a Seasonal Theme	Ivan Moseley

Birmingham Schools’ Raga and Tala Ensemble

Leaders: Gurdeep Singh-Dharni and Harjinder Singh Matharu

Raga Pilu Gat – Kaharawa Taal	arr. Gurdeep Singh-Dharni and Harjinder Singh Matharu
Raga Mishra Pilu Gat – Kaharva Taal	arr. Gurdeep Singh-Dharni and Harjinder Singh Matharu
Raga Bilawal Gat – Dadra Taal	arr. Gurdeep Singh-Dharni and Harjinder Singh Matharu
Jhala & Jugalbani – Raga Pilu in Drut Teentaal	arr. Gurdeep Singh-Dharni and Harjinder Singh Matharu

Birmingham Schools’ Training Brass Band

Conductor: David Taylor

Highlights From Jurassic Park	John Williams arr. Vinson
Crimond (Cornet and Horn Duet)	Traditional arr. Paul Douglas
Livin’ On a Prayer	Bon Jovi arr. Alan Fernie
Jingle Bell Boogie	arr. Matt Kingston

INTERVAL

Birmingham Schools’ Guitar Ensemble

Conductor: Nick Chamberlain

Frevo

Jurg Kindle

Jamboree

Celso Machado

Diablo Rojo

Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero

arr. Nick Chamberlain

Birmingham Schools’ String Sinfonia

Conductor: William Cheung

Featured Soloists:
(Violin) Hannah Stubbs, Hellen Du, Anand Toon, Yusuf Sultan-Qurayshi
(Cello) Yudi Zhao

Concerto Grosso in G minor Op.6 No.8 ‘Christmas’

I. Vivace – Grave
II. Allegro
III. Adagio – Allegro – Adagio
IV. Vivace
V. Allegro
VI. Largo ‘Pastorale’

Arcangelo Corelli

List of ensembles and schools playing tonight

Birmingham Schools’ Recorder Sinfonia

Birmingham Schools’ Raga & Tala

Birmingham Schools’ Training Brass Band

Birmingham Schools’ Guitar Ensemble

Birmingham Schools’ String Sinfonia.

*Photography/ Filming Guidance For Parents / Carers and Concert Attendees - Please Read*

This information is for concert attendees who do not work for Services For Education.

Services For Education will not take and use identifiable images of children and young people (under 18 years old) without permission from a parent/carer to do so.
Parents/carers are asked annually to accept our SFE filming and photography policy. Changes can be made to the permissions at any time in the year using the ensembles portal.
At events we ask parents/carers to be mindful of other children and ensure photos are only for personal use. Should you wish to share a photograph on social media, it must be a long-range photograph that doesn't clearly identify any other children/ young people.
Please check your privacy settings on your social media account to understand who else will be able to view any images they share.
Where photographs are taken at an event attended by large crowds (a concert or awards event for example), this is regarded as a public area, so it is not necessary to get permission of everyone in a crowd shot. However, we will always gain permission from parents/carers for any children who appear and are identifiable in these images.
If you have any concerns about images being shared, please contact us at marketing@servicesforeducation.co.uk or if you have any questions relating to data protection please contact the company's Data Protection Officer, tel: (0)121 366 9950, email dpo@servicesforeducation.co.uk

Print/Download

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Programme details

Sunday 15^th December 2023 – 6.00pm
Ruddock Performing Arts Centre Map

Compere – Richard Mabbott

Birmingham Schools’ Guitar Sinfonia

Conductor: Adam Hickman

La Cumparsita	G.M Rodriguez
Paysage Iberique	Luc Levesque
Viva La Vida	Coldplay – Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin

Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble

Conductor: Lesley Morson

Molly on the Shore	Percy Grainger arr. Alvin Tran
White Christmas	Irving Berlin arr. A Cooper
Way Too Much Christmas	arr. Adreian Adarlo

Birmingham Schools’ Jazz Band

Conductor: Ashley Buxton

Dance the Night	Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Andrew Wyatt and Mark Robson
Saturday Night Fever Medley	arr. Nestico
Night in Tunisia	arr. Nestico

INTERVAL

Birmingham Schools’ Singers

Conductor: Thomas Lenthall

Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight	John Lennon & Paul McCartney arr. Mac Huff
Christmas Dance	Darren Criss arr. Mac Huff
Sing	Mitchell Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kevin Olusola, Martin Johnson & Sam Hollander. arr. Mark Brymer

Birmingham Schools’ Brass Band

Conductor: Saphran Ali

Blaze Away!	A. Holzmann
Pirates of the Caribbean	Klaus Badelt arr. Ted Ricketts/John Blanken
The Water of Tyne	Traditional arr. Philip Harper
Instant Christmas	arr. Bruce Fraser

List of ensembles and schools playing tonight

Birmingham Schools’ Guitar Sinfonia

Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble

Birmingham Schools’ Jazz Band

Birmingham Schools’ Singers

Birmingham Schools’ Brass Band.

*Photography/ Filming Guidance For Parents / Carers and Concert Attendees - Please Read*

This information is for concert attendees who do not work for Services For Education.

Services For Education will not take and use identifiable images of children and young people (under 18 years old) without permission from a parent/carer to do so.
Parents/carers are asked annually to accept our SFE filming and photography policy. Changes can be made to the permissions at any time in the year using the ensembles portal.
At events we ask parents/carers to be mindful of other children and ensure photos are only for personal use. Should you wish to share a photograph on social media, it must be a long-range photograph that doesn't clearly identify any other children/ young people.
Please check your privacy settings on your social media account to understand who else will be able to view any images they share.
Where photographs are taken at an event attended by large crowds (a concert or awards event for example), this is regarded as a public area, so it is not necessary to get permission of everyone in a crowd shot. However, we will always gain permission from parents/carers for any children who appear and are identifiable in these images.
If you have any concerns about images being shared, please contact us at marketing@servicesforeducation.co.uk or if you have any questions relating to data protection please contact the company's Data Protection Officer, tel: (0)121 366 9950, email dpo@servicesforeducation.co.uk

Print/Download

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Download Complete Programme

merchandise

We are pleased to share official SFE merchandise with you.

Some of the items will be available at our concerts, to buy and take home with you, but for the SFE Ensembles hoodies and t-shirts there will be samples at the concerts but these must be ordered online via the link.

ONLY available VIA USING ORDER HERE BUTTON

We will be taking samples to some of our Festive Concerts so you can see them in person, but please note that they cannot be bought on the night, and all orders must be placed through the link below.

In collaboration with Wave-Ed, a Birmingham-based design and print company, we are excited to offer Ensembles hoodies and t-shirts, with at least £7 from every sale being donated to SFE.

As with most good things, there is a limited time window. The online shop will close for orders in early January. The orders will then be printed and delivered to Ensembles in February for distribution.

They are available in a range of sizes and colours as below (t-shirts are only available in black and grey at the moment) with the option of personalisation if you wish (up to four letters).

Hoodies – Unpersonalised £25 / Personalised £28

T-Shirts – Unpersonalised £20 / Personalised £23

Order here

Hoodie, Grape

Hoodie, Pacific

Hoodie, Turquoise

Hoodie, Black

Hoodie, Grey

T-Shirt, Black

T-Shirt, Grey

Order here

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Our SFE teddy stands at 9″ high, complete with SFE branded t-shirt.

£12 each including VAT

CE labeled, conforming with with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards.
Sold as a ‘toy’ and deemed safe for children aged 14 and under.

ONLY available AT THE CONCERTS

Show your support by owning an SFE pin badge, available to buy from our Fundraising team at the concerts, or given when you sign up to join our Friends of Our Ensembles.

£1 donation recommended

Warning; choking hazard, not suitable for children under 36 months.
Contains small parts and functional sharp point.

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Image of SFE tote bag

Our SFE tote bags are perfect for carrying around your rehearsal music, shopping or anything else you need help carrying. Made from natural colour 180 g/m cotton, maximum capacity 7L.

£3.60 each including VAT

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Available in a range of colours, our SFE branded pens will always stand out from other pens. Coloured barrels, black ink only.

£1.80 each including VAT

Want to support Services For Education? Come along to our Festive Concerts or donate online today. Every donation will make a real difference.

donate today

WHY SUPPORT US

At Services For Education, we know that music changes lives.

By providing our music ensembles and many of our music lessons for free, we ensure that children in Birmingham have the opportunity to learn a new instrument, to feel socially connected and to find and share a passion and skill with others, no matter what their background is.

Music-Service_We-Provide-Free-Instruments-services-for-education

Remove Financial Barriers to Music

We provide free instrument loans to those who need them and all of our ensembles are free, making them accessible to everyone.

Provide a Better Music Education for All

Playing as part of an ensemble and performing live to audiences are really important skills for a full and enriched music education.

Provide a Community for Children in Birmingham

Our ensembles players have a chance to become part of our community, socialise with friends and share their passion for music.

“Our son started to play as part of Birmingham orchestra’s when he was just 8 years old. He’s now 16 and has continued to enjoy being part of these amazing ensembles.

He has inspired his younger sisters and it has been a joy and a source of such pride to hear young people making such a positive contribution! After 2 years of being separate, coming together to hear them play live again has been so special. Very much looking forward to the youth proms this year.”

Aiesha Wright – Parent

‘My son has gained so much from his membership of an SFE ensemble over the last two years. Having initially auditioned and gained a place during the pandemic when everything had moved online, music was a vital part of our lives during lockdown.

It has been heartwarming seeing how much he has enjoyed his participation and consequently just how much practice he puts into his violin playing – his teachers have been truly inspirational. Thank you so much to the whole team for what you do!’

Hamayoon Sultan – Parent

Want to support Services For Education? Come along to our Festive Concerts or donate online today. Every donation will make a real difference.

donate

book tickets

SUPPORTING US THROUGH OUR PARTNERS

We have partnered with a number of organisations that will donate to SFE if you purchase their products quoting our reference number, find out more below or at www.sfecharity.co.uk/partners/

Visit Normans Musical Instruments; use code SFE5 to save 5% on your order. Every time this code is used Normans will donate 5% of the order value to Services for Education.

Escape Live

Visit Escape Live (online games); creating lasting memories with friends as well as encouraging focus, life skills and having fun! For every game you play, Escape Live supports SFE charity by making a generous donation.

Visit JPF First Aid; use code JPF10SFE when purchasing a workplace course. Every time this code is used JPF First Aid will donate 10% of your cost to Services For Education.

To all our Individual Donors for all your Continuous Support

We want to express an enormous amount of gratitude to all of you who donate individually to our charitable causes, it really makes a difference.

Services For Education creates opportunities for disadvantaged children, young people and adults in Birmingham and for every donation you make, you make a difference to someone else’s life by giving them opportunity to be a part of a free ensemble, receive a free instrument as well as becoming socially connected.