As part of our Turner Sims School Concert Programme, we were thrilled to bring the extraordinary Aurora Orchestra directly to Springwell School, a primary special school for children with complex learning difficulties in Thornhill, Southampton. 

Each year we welcome children from over 30 schools to Turner Sims, an exciting highlight for many pupils. But for schools like Springwell, bringing children out on visits isn’t always possible. So instead, we brought the music to them. 

Aurora performed three concerts of Mahler and the Mountain Adventure across the day, an imaginative, interactive experience inspired by the music of Gustav Mahler. This was a concert full of sound, movement, responsiveness and shared exploration. Musicians worked flexibly with each group, adapting in the moment, responding to individual reactions and building genuine musical interactions with pupils. 

Springwell also invited children from their satellite class at Weston Park Primary School to attend. These pupils have learning difficulties that mean they require specialist teaching support, but they are able to access trips and shared experiences like this. Bringing both communities together through live music made the day even more powerful. 

The feedback from Springwell spoke volumes: 

“I want to pass on a huge thank you to all of you and the Aurora team for making yesterday such a success for our pupils. There has been a buzz all day around school about the sessions and the impact that they had on the children who attended. Seeing the children engage and interact with both the team and the music they were creating was very special to see. We have never had people into school who have built interactions with pupils in the way that the Aurora team did yesterday, and so that is a testament to their understanding of SEND, flexibility and responsiveness.” – Harriet Rowland, Assistant Headteacher 

Aurora Orchestra will return to Springwell three more times in the spring and summer terms to deliver follow-on workshops and training with both pupils and staff. This longer-term approach means the impact goes far beyond a single day, building confidence, musical understanding and creative skills over time. 

The project is delivered in partnership with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music and supported by funding from Orchestras Live. 

For us at Turner Sims, we believe that live music should be for everyone, not only those who can travel to a music venue. Projects like this remove barriers, meeting children where they are. They respect different ways of communicating, responding and experiencing the world, showing that world-class musicianship can thrive in classrooms, halls and shared spaces just as powerfully as it does on a concert stage. 

At Turner Sims, we know that stories don’t just live on the page. They live in sound, imagination and shared experience. That’s why this year, three of our family performances are inspired by beloved children’s books, bringing words, pictures and music together in magical new ways.

We’re delighted to be launching a new partnership with October Books, our much-loved neighbourhood bookshop, who will be selling children’s books at each of these event, with families able to enjoy the show and take the story home.

Turner Sims Summer Festival is a vibrant weekend celebrating music across genres.

Set in the beautiful surroundings of Highfield Campus, the festival showcases performances across a range of music styles, creating a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere for music lovers of all kinds.

We’re inviting applications from University of Southampton students – solo artist, duo, or group – to perform on our nationally renowned stage on Saturday 13 June 1- 3pm (30 minute set each).

We welcome applications from a diverse mix of genres and particularly jazz, folk, soul, classical, and singer-songwriter.

As the University of Southampton’s concert venue, Turner Sims is unique in the region: we are a vibrant, community-focused creative hub, a performance venue presenting world-class artists and performers, and an inclusive, stimulating space for students and young people to explore their creative potential and understanding.

Do you have a passion for music and live performance? Do you like working in a customer focused role?

We are looking for an enthusiastic and conscientious person to join our team as our Customer Services Assistant. You will provide exceptional customer service to our customers and visitors including the public, University staff and students, artists, promoters and venue hirers. This includes operating the box office, fielding and responding to customer enquiries, in-person and across a range of channels.

As part of the Turner Sims team, you will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the successful delivery of Turner Sims activity including concerts, engagement programmes and hires.

Salary £25,249 Pro rata per annum
Part Time 14 hpw Permanent
Closing Date: Sunday 04 January 2026

Find out more and apply here

We welcomed over 3,000 people, of all ages, to our annual Summer Festival from 27 to 29 June.

Visitors enjoyed a vibrant weekend of live music, food, and family-friendly activities across the University of Southampton’s Highfield Campus. The event featured performances by local bands on the outdoor stage, alongside an eclectic indoor programme of folk, classical, and jazz. Highlights included Lucy Kitchen and The Shovel Dance Collective on Friday, Orchestra of the Swan’s candlelit concert on Saturday, and a hugely popular Summer Family Day on Sunday. The festival concluded with a powerful performance by jazz trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, who showcased music from her latest album with special guests.

The Turner Sims team extend a big thank you to their brilliant Assistant Producers, Future Producers and The Vibe Collective, who hand-picked fantastic local artists to perform both outdoors and indoors on all three days. And enormous gratitude to their volunteer ushers, team and crew for making it all happen!

There’s loads more incredible live music in store this year! Check out the new Autumn Season here

Check out some of the photos from our Summer Festival below.

Turn It Up is a development opportunity for musicians from Southampton and SO postcodes. Launched in 2024 by University of Southampton music venue, Turner Sims, the inaugural winners of the scheme were folk duo Pegasuses.

Supported by funding from Arts Council England, the programme aims to help local musicians turn up the volume on their creative projects.

Lucy will benefit from industry mentoring, funding, and an appearance on the opening night of Turner Sims’ Summer Festival in June. Lucy will be joined by a five-piece band to perform songs from her forthcoming album, ‘In the Low Light’. Spanning folk, Americana, a little bit of country, and infused with the feel of 70s singer-songwriters, Lucy’s original songs explore concepts of grief and loss. Her exquisite vocals are supported by guitars, double bass and drums, plus pedal steel, piano and Hammond, in a warm and engaging soundworld. Lucy and her band’s performance takes place on Friday 27 June 2025 in a double bill with Shovel Dance Collective.

Lucy said:

‘I knew early last year that I wanted to record an album. Something that represents me, my experiences and where I am at musically now. And now, the music is finished and recorded Turn It Up provides the perfect opportunity to push the project over the finish line in the way I envisage. To be able to do a proper live launch with the band as part of the Turner Sims Summer Festival is incredible.’

Kevin Appleby, Turner Sims, said:

‘Through Turn It Up we are keen to support the ambitious creative plans of local artists. Lucy’s clear vision for her project and performance really stood out for the selection panel. With the platform of the Summer Festival it’s exciting to enable her to bring her distinctive sound and music to her current fanbase and new audiences too.’

Kevin joined Turner Sims in 2000. Since then, Kevin has set the venue’s artistic direction and programmed its celebrated concert series, spanning classical, jazz, folk and global music.

Kevin has been an influential figure, raising the bar on the region’s music scene over the past 25 years. His many Turner Sims career highlights include Southampton’s Musical Alphabet in 2012, which saw 50 events and 500 performers entertain 2500 people in 23 venues across the city as part of London 20212’s Cultural Olympiad. The international Friday Afternoons project in 2013 celebrated the centenary of Benjamin Britten. 2760 children were involved in the climax of the Britten Stream project broadcast live from Turner Sims. Peter Edwards’ Turner Sims commission ‘A Journey with the Giants of Jazz’, premiered at the concert hall in 2017. It was part of the nationwide New Music Biennial initiative, with further performances as part of Hull UK City of Culture and at London’s Southbank Centre’. In 2021, the world premiere of Tunde Jegede’s ‘Voyages of the Heart‘ was broadcast online due to Covid-19 restrictions. The work was commissioned for the Mayflower 400 commemorations in Southampton. More recently, Turner Sims hosted the BBC Singers in their 100th Anniversary year at Turner Sims in collaboration with the University’s Department of Music.

Kevin’s final Turner Sims concert series will be the 51st Autumn Season (Sep 2025 – Jan 2026) to be announced in May 2025.

Kevin Appleby said, “Turner Sims has been part of my life for so long that the thought of my time here coming to a close feels somewhat strange. However as the concert hall reaches the end of its 50th anniversary year, and I at the same time complete 25 years here, it is the right moment for me to step down and focus on other things.

When I was appointed I don’t think I ever anticipated spending such a significant amount of my working life in one organisation. However, whenever there has been a doubt in my mind about continuing, another unmissable opportunity, collaboration, or new venture has magically appeared.

As Turner Sims begins its next phase, I will be forever grateful to have been part of an organisation that means so much to so many people, to have worked with inspiring colleagues who have made the place what it is, and to have enjoyed and learnt from so many rewarding experiences.”

Sarah Robertson, Co-Chair of Turner Sims Strategic Board said, “Kevin is an exemplary and passionate advocate for music and throughout his hugely successful time at Turner Sims he has worked tirelessly to bring the best music and musicians to the audiences of Southampton. He is held in such high regard across the city, University and in the concert hall sector, championing the impact of music venues at the highest levels. In particular his passion and support for jazz music and musicians has seen Turner Sims develop a vibrant programme of up-and-coming and established artists that is the envy of others. The Strategic Board are so grateful for his hard work and dedication and warmly wish him well for the future.”

The duo craft a mesmerising soundscape that beautifully marries the rich heritage of Norwegian folk music with the contemporary. Their latest album, ‘Glimmer’, showcases the beauty of the Hardanger fiddle, which Nils plays with haunting grace. The instrument’s unique resonating strings create a shimmering tapestry woven with threads of emotion. Complementing this, Sigbjørn breathes new life into the harmonium. Drawing from his classical background, he integrates innovative elements into his arrangements while honouring traditional roots. This musical style is starkly different from the traditional English folk music FAYE typically play and through the concert and workshop created new paths for them to follow on their musical journey.

Within the workshop, FAYE were taught two Norwegian folk tunes. The first was a hymn called ‘O du min Immanuel’ (‘O You My Emmanuel’) which featured gentle, flowing phrases that allowed room for interpretation. To further the youth group’s understanding of their style of playing, Nils and Sigbjørn discussed the decisions behind their arrangement of the hymn and explained their method of improvisation around the melody. The second tune they taught was a dance tune called ‘Springen’ and Nils explained the different bowing techniques he had learned from various teachers. The duo then took the stage to perform for the FAYE members, followed by a Q&A. The ensemble expressed interest in the historic instruments, the hardanger and harmonium, and were given the opportunity to play them. This inspired a few members to start a ‘Harmonium Wish List’ for Christmas – because who wouldn’t want this magical instrument to get them through the holidays?

As a fellow musician, I found their innovative approach to arrangement truly inspiring, leading me to learn my first Norwegian tunes, which has sparked a desire to explore more Scandinavian folk music. Fern, another member of FAYE, said: ‘we learnt two very new and contrasting tunes. Nils recommended, when you’re learning a new tune, to look at someone else’s bow which was really useful.’ Marnie, also from FAYE, added, ‘the tunes were very fun to learn, and I found the harmonium and hardanger very interesting’.

We would like to give a huge thank you to Kevin Appleby and Turner Sims for funding and hosting the workshop. This opportunity ignited a passion for Scandinavian folk traditions that will resonate in FAYE’s future performances, highlighting the importance of collaboration and the shared joy of music, and ensuring that the spirit of folk traditions continues to thrive in contemporary settings.

Find out more about FAYE