From Hastings to the Royal Albert Hall: Count Us IN musicians prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime performance

On 10 November, 51 young musicians from Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea will take to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the prestigious Music for Youth Proms. They will join more than 1,000 young performers from across the UK in a celebration of the country's musicians of the future, proudly representing their town and the wider county of East Sussex as the only group from the county selected to perform.

The young performers are all members of Count Us IN Community Music, a programme delivered by ExploreTheArch and supported by Youth Music, aiming to remove barriers to participation by providing free instruments, equipment, tuition and opportunities for children and young people who might otherwise be unable to access music education. One Count Us IN participant said:

"I never thought I'd be able to even hold a violin. And now I have one and I love it so much. I practice at home and I genuinely cannot believe how much I've learnt since my first session. I feel really excited and confident about playing in the Music For Youth Proms and I can't wait for it to happen."

The programme's impact extends beyond the young musicians it supports, creating opportunities for emerging music leaders and facilitators. One ExploreTheArch Early Career Team Member said:

“As someone who is legally homeless, it’s really empowering to be able to learn music instruments and become a music leader. My (early career) team has shared experiences with the young musicians we explore with. We are making change.”

Count Us IN originated within the Four Courts Connect community programme on Stonehouse Drive and has since grown to support young people from across Hastings and St Leonards. Today, participants attend 11 schools and colleges across the area, including Ark Alexandra Academy, Bexhill College, Christ Church C E Primary Academy, East Sussex College Group (Hastings), Mulberry Silverdale Primary, Mulberry Academy St Leonards, Robsack Wood Primary School, St Leonards C E Primary Academy, St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, St Pauls C E Academy and St Richards Catholic College.

Music for Youth selected the group to perform in their Creative Project for the proms and generously waived participation fees in recognition of the barriers many participants face in accessing music opportunities.

The trip has also been made possible through support from the Chalk Cliff Trust, which has funded transport to London for the group. Two coaches will transport 51 young musicians, 19 facilitators and supporting adults to the event. The funding has also enabled parents and carers who may not otherwise have been able to attend to watch their children perform on one of the world's most iconic stages.

Gail Borrow, Lead Mentor, said: "It is a life-changing experience to get your hands on an instrument and know that it's yours to take home and keep in your bedroom and get out every day for practice. The relationships that Count Us IN participants build with their violins and guitars are a big part of the increase in confidence and self-belief that comes with playing in the Music For Youth Proms and representing your town and county."

The musicians will perform three specially selected works as part of the Proms programme.

These include As I Rise, a new composition by James B. Wilson inspired by NASA's Artemis missions and set to a poem by Wales' Children's Laureate, Alex Wharton. The piece celebrates human ambition and innovation and was commissioned in partnership with the BBC, ABRSM and the Royal Albert Hall through the BBC Ten Pieces project.

The group will also perform Something Heavy by Jacob Collier as part of the BBC Get Singing initiative.

Completing the programme is The Orchestra: A Young Person's Guide by Charlotte Harding, an imaginative work exploring what the orchestra of today and the future can be. Using themes from Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, the piece was co-commissioned by the BBC Proms and the National Open Youth Orchestra and has been specially adapted for the Music for Youth Proms.

The performance marks the largest Count Us IN Community Music group ever to take part in the Music for Youth Proms and represents an important milestone for the community-led programme.

For the young musicians taking part, the event is far more than a performance. It is a celebration of what can be achieved when communities work together to create opportunities, nurture talent and ensure that everyone has the chance to experience the joy of making music.