This May, a unique collaboration between music not-for-profit AudioActive and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) comes to life in Brighton at the St Ann’s Well Gardens Spring Festival, showcasing the results of a ground-breaking creative exchange between emerging young artists and some of the UK’s top classical musicians.
At the heart of this collaboration is Emerge, AudioActive’s flagship talent development programme, supporting young artists from across Sussex as they hone their musical skills and deepen their understanding of the industry. Over 20 weeks of practical sessions and masterclasses, participants receive hands-on guidance and mentorship. This year, the Emerge cohort has been working side-by side with musicians from the London Philharmonic Orchestra in open-access sessions that explore the exciting possibilities when musical worlds collide. The result? A bold and original fusion of sound, set to be showcased at Brighton’s own Spring Festival on Saturday 3 May 2025.
One of those musicians is Callum Davis, a tuba player currently part of the LPO’s Foyle Future Firsts programme, a year-long initiative nurturing early-career orchestral talent. Callum stepped into an unfamiliar musical environment and found inspiration among the up-and-coming creative talent and expressive energy of the young Emerge artists. “These sessions were an education for me,” said Callum. “To be in the room with skilled musicians who work in a way that is so different to what I’m used to was a fun challenge and a real privilege. I felt that they helped me as much as we helped them!”
This collaboration steps beyond genre-blending to both build confidence in emerging artists and to also demystify a classical genre that is often considered unattainable and unfamiliar for young artists exploring very different musical sounds. As part of the LPO’s ongoing work with South Coast communities, the collaboration embodies the importance of bringing two musical worlds face to face, and is generously supported by Garfield Weston Foundation, TIOC Foundation and donors to the LPO’s Arts for Impact Big Give campaign .
The Emerge x LPO collaboration will be a highlight of this year’s St Ann’s Well Gardens Spring Festival on Saturday 3 May 2025, a free celebration of local talent, creativity, and community. Expect performances from Emerge royalty including Amy Walker, REA, Snow, JJM, Lisa Lo, Amy Palmer, 224 (LD), Asiedu, and Lilly Wolfe, in addition to the legendary DJ and producer Mak 10, the Spring into Soul Choir, and New Bud Beginnings. We’ll also be blessed with an appearance from the highly acclaimed Kele Le Roc who has recently collaborated with the drum and bass orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, in addition to working with Basement Jaxx’s Romeo.
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