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 2025.
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Few things are more uplifting than seeing young people come together through music and song, and our annual Festive Concerts capture that spirit beautifully. We are delighted to celebrate the season with an evening showcasing the skill, enthusiasm and promise of talented young musicians and singers from schools across Birmingham.
For many of the children taking part, tonight will be their first concert with us—an exciting milestone and the beginning of what we hope will be a lasting love of performance. They join a proud tradition of thousands of Birmingham schoolchildren who have shared their music with audiences locally and nationally. Last month, our Jazz Band represented Birmingham at the Music for Youth Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall, performing alongside young musicians from across the country.
Throughout the past twelve months, I have been deeply inspired by the commitment of our young people, the passion of our music tutors and the unwavering support of Birmingham’s schools and partners. We are particularly grateful to Arts Council England and, fittingly, the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre for helping to make opportunities such as these possible.
Our Festive Concerts are a celebration not only of the season, but also of the dedication, creativity and remarkable achievements of everyone involved. To every performer, family member, teacher, tutor, partner and organiser, thank you for the part you have played in bringing this special occasion to life. I hope you enjoy a truly memorable and heart-warming evening.
Season’s greetings,
Richard Mabbott
Head of Music Service
12th December 2026
Ruddock Performing Arts Centre
Compere: Paul Douglas
Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble
Conductor: Lesley Morson
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder arr. Robert Ramskill
Dance of the Mirlitons
Tchaikovsky arr. David Bussick
Cantique de Noel
Adolphe Adam arr. David Bussick
‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kije
Sergei Prokofiev arr. David Bussick
INTERVAL
List of ensembles and schools playing tonight
Junior String Orchestra
Training Guitar Ensemble
Recorder Ensemble
Steel Band
Wind Orchestra
*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
13th December 2026
Ruddock Performing Arts Centre
Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble
Compere: Paul Douglas
Conductor: Lesley Morson
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder arr. Robert Ramskill
Dance of the Mirlitons
Tchaikovsky arr. David Bussick
Cantique de Noel
Adolphe Adam arr. David Bussick
‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kije
Sergei Prokofiev arr. David Bussick
Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble
Compere: Paul Douglas
Conductor: Lesley Morson
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder arr. Robert Ramskill
Dance of the Mirlitons
Tchaikovsky arr. David Bussick
Cantique de Noel
Adolphe Adam arr. David Bussick
‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kije
Sergei Prokofiev arr. David Bussick
INTERVAL
Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble
Compere: Paul Douglas
Conductor: Lesley Morson
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder arr. Robert Ramskill
Dance of the Mirlitons
Tchaikovsky arr. David Bussick
Cantique de Noel
Adolphe Adam arr. David Bussick
‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kije
Sergei Prokofiev arr. David Bussick
Birmingham Schools’ Double Reed Ensemble
Compere: Paul Douglas
Conductor: Lesley Morson
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder arr. Robert Ramskill
Dance of the Mirlitons
Tchaikovsky arr. David Bussick
Cantique de Noel
Adolphe Adam arr. David Bussick
‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kije
Sergei Prokofiev arr. David Bussick
List of ensembles and schools playing tonight
Junior String Orchestra
Training Guitar Ensemble
Recorder Ensemble
Steel Band
Wind Orchestra
*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
To all our individual donors for all your 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.
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.
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 concerts are supported by:
