Global superstar Ed Sheeran surprised young, aspiring musicians yesterday (January 9) when he visited Coventry. The singer dropped in to three venues across the city, hosted by Coventry Music, where he was introduced to the service’s inclusive programmes and their work.
He visited Coventry Academy, Barr’s Hill School, and the TIN Music and Arts, where he was introduced to Live on Stage, Positive Choices, and Band Together groups at the grassroots music venues. The other sessions at the two schools included creative music making, creative beat making, rap, and grime sessions.
Ed also met students from Coundon Court, Lyng Hall, Stoke Park, and President Kennedy. The Shape of You singer heard some of their original work, learned more about their ambitions and learned how music services in Coventry support their aims of breaking into the industry and supporting their music careers.
Read more: New safe spaces for young people in Coventry ‘reassuring’
Ed said: “Music education has shaped who I am. I’ve always enjoyed playing music, leading to some of my life’s best moments.”
One of the students from Barr’s Hill School, Joel Miles, 15, said: “It was a great experience. It was the last thing I expected today, and just seeing Ed in person was just wow! Seeing him perform and how much he cared about music was a nice experience. I’m really glad I met him.”
Mark Steele, Coventry City Council’s music lead, said: “We were delighted that Ed wanted to come to Coventry to see our work and really enjoyed showing him all the fantastic work that happens here. I agree with Ed that music is a great way for self-expression and social development of young people.
“We would love more of the music industry to support programmes working with young people to encourage and inspire them to do more and leave lasting support through mentoring, opportunities, advocacy and access to equipment. The talent is out there, but additional support must be needed to allow all young people to flourish.”
Live On Stage enables young people to meet like-minded musicians across Coventry, whereas Positive Choices is a programme is designed to enable young people to engage in music in a safe and supportive way to express themselves. Band Together is Coventry Music’s band for those in care who can make music with those in similar situations.
In a bid to get youngster into music Ed has also launched the Ed Sheeran Foundation, a UK-wide initiative aimed at providing inclusive, high-quality music education. The foundation has already supported 18 grassroots music education organisations and state school music departments across the UK and will improve access to instruments and performance opportunities and open doors into the music industry.
As part of the Heart of England Music Hub, Coventry Music teaches over 7,500 students a week across the city, with various programmes of different styles and genres. 33% of the students who attend are on free school meals, while 24% have special educational needs barriers.
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