What we wanted to achieve

Delivered in partnership with Deep Roots, Tall Trees, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Leaders Yvette Riby-Williams and Aga Serugo-Lugo, Young Creatives aimed to break down traditional hierarchies of music genres and support young people to take charge of their own musical learning. The project empowered them to lead their own journeys, using their original ideas and compositions as the starting point for creative collaboration.

We sought to bridge the gap between formal and informal music learning environments and enable skill sharing between professional musicians and young people in community settings.

The project also aimed to solidify strong relationships between young people and local arts organisations, promoting a sense of belonging and ownership whilst encouraging them to see themselves as active contributors to their community’s musical future.

What we did

In July 2025, we worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) Resound and Deep Roots, Tall Trees (DRTT) to deliver a series of music workshops at a Good Vibes Music & Film youth club in Corby. Young participants shared their own music and explored a variety of new instruments and musical styles, leading to an adventurous new composition co-produced with RPO musicians.

The initial sessions were led by RPO musicians, Yvette Riby-Williams, and DRTT youth leaders, who supported the young people to discover their own musical interests including music improvisation, learning and talking about music together, trying out different instruments and taking part in creating graphic scores, songwriting and composition. The workshops encouraged collaboration, knowledge exchange, and a sense of belonging within the local youth and arts space.

We returned in Autumn 2025 for a second phase, expanding the music sessions to Kingswood youth club and Project M in the centre of Corby, this time led by Aga Serugo-Lugo. The energy that Aga brought was inspirational, and at the heart of his practice, his ability to build confidence among new musicians and listen to the sound worlds more experienced young musicians at Project M brought. With a broad range of different genres of music being practiced in one building, the session was an exciting collaboration between the RPO musicians and the young people.

The most vital element across all three groups – and one that feedback proved we achieved – was giving everyone the chance to share, listen, and talk about what they enjoyed or found challenging. This made for a truly open and receptive space.

Recording

In November, we were privileged to be able to secure a day for the Good Vibes group to record their new composition with professional music producers at Far Heath Recording studio, Northamptonshire. It was an incredible experience which attracted a few new faces to join the core group, friends of the Good Vibes participants, who wanted to come and play as well!

Outcomes

Young Creatives gave young people at Good Vibes Music and Film Club the chance to collaborate with high-quality orchestral musicians in their own space. We were also able to work together to create new music, drawing on the styles and ideas of the participants, and see that through to recording in a professional studio. The piece is due to be a part of the Good Vibes’ new EP.

Participants at Kingswood were introduced to new instruments and were free to explore them with minimal supervision while receiving support when needed.

We found a mutual learning, listening and playing space at Project M, where the hierarchy which can cause barriers to access in certain musical spaces and worlds, disappeared. Musicians of all ages and levels of experience were able to highlight their skills and make new music together.

Overall, Young Creatives laid a strong foundation for sustained artistic growth and deeper collaboration, setting the ground for expanded music experimentation.

Future plans

Looking ahead, young people will have the opportunity to develop their co-composition, building on the foundation established in the previous phase. We will celebrate what has been achieved by young people with a recording of the music pieces made throughout July and November 2025.

Community Partners: Deep Roots Tall Trees, Good Vibes Film & Music Club, Project M – The Core at Corby Cube

Creative Partners, Musicians and Performers: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,Yvette Riby-Williams (Music Leader), Aga Serugo-Lugo (Music Leader), Andrew Carroll, Oliver Cheek, Joe Flavin (Director – Project M)

Venues: Hazlewood Neighborhood Centre, Kingswood Community Centre, Corby