SoundStorm Music Education; Lighthouse, Poole

SoundStorm is the award-winning music development agency for Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset in South-West England, founded in 2002 to develop innovative, exciting and diverse musical opportunities for young people and the wider community in this region. SoundStorm receives funds from DfE/Arts Council of England, Youth Music, and its partner local authorities of Bournemouth Borough Council and Poole Borough Council (local government). SoundStorm has gained an excellent reputation for exciting and cutting edge work and in 2012 successfully bid to lead the new Music Education Hub for the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation (the largest non-industrial conurbation in Europe). It also became one of 22 strategic regional partners of Youth Music, the largest music charity for young people in the UK. It has been solicited on more than one occasion by to lead on national pilot projects by major national organisations. SoundStorm has also been invited to give presentations at a diverse range of conferences, national and international.

SoundStorm has an impressive roster of achievements in its 15 year history, and has 3 times won the Major Trophy at the UK-wide Music Education Awards. Its activities have involved some 200,000 participants and approaching 750000 audience members. SoundStorm is currently hosted within Bournemouth local authority. Projects have been developed with a wide range of partners, local, national and international.

SoundStorm also acts as a consultant, promoter and producer. We have contributed to many of the regional festivals, and have often partner funded or programmed activities for them. SoundStorm has programmed education sessions open to the community with a wide range of nationally and internationally renowned artists, including Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Andy Sheppard, KOKORO, Osibisa, ZubopGambia, Soothsayers, Robin Jones’ Kings Salsa, GrupoX, Jean Toussaint, Tim Berne, Karen Wimhurst, Michael Partington, John Harle, Apollo Sax Quartet, Dave O’Higgins, Tim Berne, Ensemble Bash and many others.

We have developed international partnerships with a number of countries.
SoundStorm is increasingly involved in programming the jazz music series for Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts (the largest multi-space venue outside London in the UK) and frequently also world and roots artists. We run a successful education outreach programme utilising visiting artists to Lighthouse.