Youth voice leading the way at BSO After Dark
Turner Sims Assistant Producers are young creatives aged 18 – 25, based in Southampton. Bringing together University of Southampton students and young people across the city, Assistant Producers are part of our year-round programme to support young people into careers into the music industry and to centre Youth Voice in our programming and workforce.
For the past six months the Assistant Producers have been working closely with the teams at Turner Sims (TS) and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) to develop a very special concert.
‘BSO After Dark featuring Baby Panna’ (13 March 2026) was themed around the idea of journeys. This musical experience opened with the first half being an exploration of journeys within the self: self-discovery, aging, adventure, resilience, reflection and nostalgia. The second half explored journeys beyond our planet: a search for meaning amid the cosmos.
An immersive concert, with atmospheric lighting, allowed space for reflection and imagination. A combination of classical repertoire, film music and spoken word, this concert revisited what classical music can be, exploring how music and words, used together can create a tapestry of human experience and wonder.
Isabelle Chandler, Assistant Producer and third year music student at University of Southampton said, “We wanted to switch up the idea of a classical concert. Bringing in Portsmouth-based jazz-rap artist Baby Panna was Antonio’s idea. We were considering different ways of framing classical music and how to bring in younger people.”
“We chose a repertoire, ranging from twentieth century avant-garde with Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quartet for the End of Time, II. Vocalise’ to piece that were more well-known and accessible like “Bundle of Joy’ from the movie ‘Inside Out’.”
“The inclusion of Baby Panna’s spoken word – performed for the first time alongside the BSO musicians – made it a universal and immersive experience. By bringing humour and referencing everyday experiences, it created a casual and more personal way to communicate with the audience.”
Carley Divish, Assistant Producer and Archaeologist reflected on the audience experience: “I want audiences to understand a new scope of music. For fans of contemporary classical to see spoken word in a new way, and for people questioning what the concert could bring, to spark a new love. I want people to see that music, no matter the genre, can spark emotion in you.”
The event attracted lots of first-time visitors to Turner Sims. One man shared with the Assistant Producers that he’d come along having seen the Daily Echo concert listing was familiar with some of the pieces in the programme.
Ralph Banks, Assistant Producer and 3rd year music student shared that, “Working with the BSO was a great way of gaining experience and improving my knowledge of event management. It’s given me opportunities to work on areas such as marketing, as well as curate a concert with my ideas and see them come to life.”
Final word to Antonio Chikhungu, Assistant Producer and Afro-British events curator to sum up the night in one sentence: “A fantastical selection of music with spoken word as a connecting thread”
‘BSO After Dark featuring Baby Panna’ was presented by Turner Sims in partnership with BSO.
