Rockin’ Roundup — March 2026

March came and went in a flash, with a busy end to the term leading us into the Easter holidays! We’re just about catching up ahead of the Summer term starting back next week — and what a month it’s been.

Our Battle of the Bands, delivered in conjunction with We Will Rock You Project, was a huge success. With a 150-strong audience, 8 incredible young acts, an inspiring panel of judges and an amazing atmosphere throughout the night, it was a real celebration of young musical talent. The event also raised £500 for Music Evermore, helping us continue to provide accessible music opportunities for young people across Manchester.

Massive congratulations to THE INITIALS, who were crowned winners on the night after an awe-inspiring performance of Song 2 by Blur — a brilliant moment and thoroughly deserved 👏

This month, you may also have spotted Music Evermore director Chris Maddon popping up on your screens as part of an official government campaign 👀 This relates to the new Pride in Place fund, supporting communities across Manchester, including Wythenshawe — where we deliver many of our funded sessions.

🎓 School Projects

Park View Academy (Miles Platting)

Funded by Heist or Hit

KS2 classes took part in small in-year performances this month, giving each class the chance to perform to their peers — something they hadn’t experienced during the Christmas showcases. It was fantastic to see the progress across all groups, with several standout performances demonstrating just how far students have come this term.

KS1 have continued developing their singing, working on songs such as Do Re Mi and There’s a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, combining vocals with actions to support memory and engagement. Year 2 students also had an introduction to guitar, learning string names, correct positioning and basic plucking technique — a great first step into instrumental learning.

Peel Hall Primary Academy (Wythenshawe)

Funded by Heist or Hit

Following their successful Valentine’s performance, Peel Hall pupils had just a few weeks to prepare for another special event — celebrating the school’s 70th birthday.

Students performed a fantastic selection of songs spanning the last seven decades, creating a musical journey through time. The performance was a huge success and enjoyed by parents, carers and members of the wider community — a brilliant way to celebrate such an important milestone.

Seymour Road Academy (Clayton)

Funded by Rising Tide AI

Years 1, 3 and 5 are continuing to make fantastic progress in both ability and confidence.

Year 1 are already working on their third song in just six weeks, putting them on track to build a full setlist by the end of the year. Year 3 are developing their instrumental skills through Riptide, using the song to understand bar structure and rhythm, while Year 5 are exploring music from the 1980s, learning about song structure through a wide range of classic tracks.

Webster Primary School

Funded by Rising Tide AI

The Spring term ended with a huge showcase performance featuring students from Years 2–6, performing to a packed hall of parents, carers and members of the local community.

The setlist was full of iconic tracks, including Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd), Wonderwall and Live Forever (Oasis), and Flowers (Miley Cyrus), showcasing the range of styles and skills developed across the term. A brilliant way to round off a fantastic few months of music-making.

🎤 Community Projects

Wythenshawe Forum Band Sessions

Funded by Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Investment Fund

Preparations for festival season are well underway, with groups working towards performances at ChasFest (5th May) and the Music Evermore Summer Festival (12th July).

New members have settled in well, and confidence is continuing to grow across all groups and instruments. The aim is for each group to perform multiple songs across the upcoming festivals — an exciting challenge that everyone is working hard towards.

🎸 Saturday Band Sessions — We Will Rock You Project

All members involved in our funded places within the Saturday band sessions worked incredibly hard in the lead-up to the Battle of the Bands, and it really showed on the night.

With that performance now complete, focus has quickly shifted towards the next big milestone — the Music Evermore Summer Festival in July. The progress, commitment and enthusiasm across all groups continues to grow, and we’re excited to see what the next term brings.

❤️ Thank You

We’re now reaching up to 1,000 children and young people every week across schools, community venues and youth settings — something we are incredibly proud of.

Thank you to our funders, partners, tutors, schools, families and young people for making this possible.

Enjoy the Easter break — we’ll see you back for an exciting Summer term! 🎶🌞