🎸 Rockin’ Roundup — November 2025 Edition
🏆 Manchester Culture Award Winners!
After the delight of being nominated for the Manchester Culture Awards, we were absolutely thrilled to attend the celebration event at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel on Saturday 22nd November… and we are over the moon to announce that WE WON AN AWARD!
Music Evermore took home the “Best Event” award for our collaborative showcase series with Brighter Sound at the Wythenshawe Forum Library Creative Space. This recognition reflects the hard work of everyone involved and, most importantly, the creativity and commitment of the young people who take part every week.
We are now proudly providing funded music tuition and programmes to over 1,000 young people every week across Manchester — and we’re only just getting started.
As we gear up for a busy run of end-of-term performances, we’ve also got a special live event with Brighter Sound coming up on Friday 12th December at the Wythenshawe Forum Creative Space.
🎟️ Free tickets: HERE
🎄 Park View Academy
(Funded by Heist or Hit)
It’s only their first term, but Park View students have jumped straight into preparing for their Christmas concerts — and the school is buzzing with music!
Key Moments
Years 1 & 2 are teaming up for a big group performance of Jingle Bells, featuring singing, percussion and even some keyboards from the Year 2s.
KS2 have split into two groups per year, with each year learning a festive favourite:
Year 3 – Santa Tell Me
Year 4 – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Year 5 – Last Christmas
Year 6 – Feliz Navidad
There has been noticeable improvement in timing across the groups.
Behaviour progress in Years 5 and 6 has helped unlock more musical development.
Breakfast Club are working brilliantly on Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, handling the faster rhythms with growing confidence.
🎤 Performances take place Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th December.
🎶 Seymour Road Academy
(Funded by Rising Tide AI)
Seymour Road’s first term of music is off to a bright start, with groups working hard on their end-of-term showcase pieces.
Key Moments
Year 1 are preparing Silent Night and Rudolph, complete with actions to help bring the songs to life.
Year 3 will be treating everyone to a dose of Whamageddon with Last Christmas!
Year 5 have shown outstanding quick-learning and musicianship — they’re picking up material at an impressive pace, and the upcoming performance is set to be a strong one.
🎤 Peel Hall Primary Academy
(Funded by Heist or Hit)
Peel Hall is in full festive mode, gearing up for their Christmas extravaganza.
Key Moments
Every class has prepared a piece for the end-of-term show — some as choirs, others as full band performances using classroom instruments.
The Rock ’n’ Roll Choir has already been out for three community carolling events, performing at:
Wythenshawe Civic Centre
Manchester Airport
Ringway Care Home
The choir has prepared a long and varied festive set, mixing traditional carols with modern favourites.
The next few weeks promise to be busy, musical and full of seasonal spirit!
🎸 Wythenshawe Forum Band Sessions
(Funded by Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Investment Fund)
Still buzzing from the Manchester Culture Awards win, our Forum bands are pouring all that energy into their next big performance with Brighter Sound on 12th December.
Key Moments
Each group is putting together a Christmas number, plus a mix of indie, rock and pop classics.
The young musicians are showing real confidence and ambition as we head towards the 2026 programme.
The community atmosphere in rehearsals has been incredible — the groups are sounding stronger every week
🥁 Saturday Band Sessions
(Supported by public donors)
Our Saturday groups continue to shine, progressing brilliantly across all time slots.
🎵 11am Group
We Will Rock You is sounding stronger each session, with keys, vocals and drums locking in together.
With instrument options expanding, there’s talk of introducing bass or guitar to broaden the arrangement.
The group is building momentum and excitement for trying additional songs in the new year.
🎵 12pm Group
Sit Down has now been nailed confidently, changes and all!
The group is beginning to craft their setlist, with Song 2 in development.
Work has begun on You Really Got Me, and it’s coming together quickly — riffs, rhythms and improvisations are showing great promise.
The whole band continues to grow in musicianship and teamwork.
🎵 1pm Group
A strong version of Everybody Wants to Rule the World has now been arranged with unique parts for each band member.
Vocals have now been added to both this track and In Bloom — a big step that has helped bring both songs to life.
🎵 2pm Group
This group now has three well-rehearsed songs under their belt and continues to display mature dedication to refinement and rehearsal.
They’ve begun exploring Come Together as a new challenge.
🎵 3pm Group
Confident, dynamic versions of Pink Pony Club and Beat It are now performance-ready.
The group is experimenting with Somebody’s Watching Me and Iris as potential additions to their growing setlist.
✨ Wrapping Up November…
As we head into December, the energy across all our groups is higher than ever. With Christmas shows, community performances and our next Amplify Wythenshawe Live event just around the corner, our young musicians are getting ready to finish the year on a real high.
Thank you to all our funders, tutors, ambassadors, families and young people for helping us make music accessible, exciting and meaningful for over 1,000 children every single week. We can’t wait to share more unforgettable moments as we close out 2025.
Here’s to a brilliant festive season —