The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is marking World Music Day on Sunday 21st June by shining a spotlight on its Make Music programme, celebrating the thousands of young people across the North East who are learning, creating and performing through music.
Taking place at Dance City in Newcastle at 3.30pm, the special one-off event will bring together young musicians and dancers aged 12 to 18 from the organisations’ Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) programmes. The courses are auditioned and supported through the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme bursaries, helping to ensure that young people from all backgrounds can access high-level training.
The performance will see Nu Groove, the CAT band featuring 16 young musicians from The Glasshouse’s Make Music programme, collaborate with three contemporary dance groups from Dance City. Together, they will combine live music and movement in a vibrant showcase of creativity, talent and skill.
The event highlights the scale and impact of The Glasshouse’s Make Music programme, which has delivered more than 230,000 music lessons and generated over 2.8 million interactions since 2004, including 1.8 million with young people across the North East.
Susanna Mogaji, Director of Creative Learning at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, said: “World Music Day is the perfect opportunity to showcase the incredible young musicians and dancers we have here in the North East. Through programmes like Make Music and our Centre for Advanced Training, we’re supporting young people to develop their skills, build confidence and access opportunities they might not otherwise have. This performance brings that to life and gives audiences the chance to experience it first-hand.”
Lorna Chadwick, Dance City’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) Manager, said: “The collaboration between Dance City and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music through the CAT scheme is incredibly exciting, as it opens up even greater opportunities for talented young people across the North East to access high-quality music and dance training close to home.
“By working together, we’re supporting creativity and inclusion while helping young people develop clear pathways into professional arts careers and strengthening the region’s vibrant cultural and creative industries.”
Chris Caygill, 17, a musician with Nu Groove, said: “Being part of Make Music has really helped me grow in confidence and meet other young people who love music as much as I do. Performing at Dance City for World Music Day feels like a huge opportunity, and I’m really excited to be part of it.”
The performance is free to attend, with tickets available via Dance City’s website. The Glasshouse is also encouraging people across the region to get involved in music and explore opportunities through the Make Music programme. Financial support is available to help ensure cost is not a barrier to participation.
