Next generation music talent to receive boost from CBSO initiative

The next generation of Birmingham’s musical talent is set to receive a vital boost this summer, with a new ‘come and play’ initiative launched by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO).

As part of the upcoming CBSO in the City, Birmingham-based saxophonists and clarinettists will have the chance to rehearse and perform with CBSO collaborative artist Jess Gillam.

Jess is preparing to embark on her first season as a collaborative artist and will lead amateur musicians in a rehearsal session on Saturday 29 August, before performing with the massed saxophone and clarinet ensemble in the city-centre’s vibrant waterside spot, Brindleyplace.

Jess said: ‘I can’t wait to start to start my first season with the CBSO as a collaborative artist. As well as playing with the orchestra I’m also looking forward to getting involved in Birmingham’s brilliant musical community.

“This event is open to musicians of all ages who are looking to boost their skill. We’ll be balancing having lots of fun whilst working hard on some great tunes.

“Music education is so often underfunded and undervalued, and the CBSO provides so many opportunities to demonstrate that the next generation deserves high-quality learning and performance opportunities wherever they’re based.”

Keen musicians of all ages are invited to sign up on the CBSO website before midday on 20 July.

Rehearsal sessions will take place on the morning of Saturday 29 August at the CBSO Centre, while the performance will take place that afternoon in Brindleyplace.

The CBSO’s annual Birmingham-wide CBSO in the City festival returns for 2026 with five days of free music running from Thursday 27 to Monday 31 August across the summer bank holiday weekend.

The 2026 programme will present performances from full orchestral spectacles to duos, quartets and free family concerts.

Emma Stenning, chief executive of the CBSO, said: “Birmingham is a city that holds its cultural life with real conviction.

“The pride people feel in this orchestra, the breadth of what they listen to, the generosity with which they engage with music that's new to them – that’s something Birmingham brings, and we celebrate.

“Everything begins here. And if we're serious about being Birmingham's orchestra – not just in name but in practice – then we have to bring music to the city, not as something separate from daily life, but woven through it.”