Multi-award winning youth project Oi Musica will celebrates10 years of music making in east Edinburgh with a special mini-festival at Portobello Town Hall on Saturday 20 June.
Eighty young musicians, part of Oi Musica’s Brass Blast project, will take to the stage for Brassed-Up, showcasing two original tunes, and playing sing-along covers and feel-good anthems.
Brassed-Up also features Glasgow-based headline act Samson Sounds, the Golden Grooves Street Collective, Lotas and will finish off with a giant street band finale.
Every week, around 80 young people aged between 9 and 18, attend Brass Blast after-school lessons at Edinburgh College and Brunstane Primary School to learn how to play trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone and street drumming, and to play in a vibrant street band ensemble.
“Brass Blast is the only project of its kind in Scotland, providing the opportunity to take up an instrument from scratch, develop music making skills and play in a band that is friendly and fun,” said spokesperson Victor Vicart.
“Social enterprise Oi Musica, whose mission is to broaden participation in music, established Brass Blast in 2016 as a proactive response to the disproportionately low numbers of disadvantaged young people taking up instruments in East Edinburgh.
“It has grown into a vibrant youth street band that draws enthusiastic crowds whenever they perform. Sixty five percent of players took up their brass/reed instrument via Brass Blast, with the majority of those going on to secure free lessons at school.
“Specialising in inclusive music education, Oi Musica ensures that young people of all backgrounds and all levels of experience on their instrument are welcome and meaningfully engaged at Brass Blast.”
Alongside live music, there will be street food, a fully stocked bar, artisan cake and the chance to bring a T-shirt and screen print your own Brass Blast 10th anniversary merchandise with local artist Matt Vale.
Tickets priced £10-£20 can be purchased here – the festival runs from 5-10pm.
