WEMA is committed to providing fun, inclusive and educational music activities outside the classroom. These give children and young people in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset, valuable opportunities to make friends, learn new skills and explore many different types of music, from choir singing, to musicals, jazz, folk and more.
These workshops, courses and events take place throughout the year, so find out what’s coming up by viewing the Latest Opportunities information below, and by scrolling down to find our regularly updated Calendar (which also lists other events for our Creative Health and Cultural Education services).
We also keep costs to a minimum and many are free to children who are eligible for Pupil Premium.
Don’t forget – our Music Centres also provide a chance for regular music making, fun and friendship. Check out the Music Centres link opposite to find out more.
New season of WEMA Youth Orchestra, including concert at St George’s, Bristol.
WEMA Youth Orchestra returns for the 2026/27 season with two residential-style courses and a showcase concert at the prestigious St George’s, Bristol. The orchestra is conducted by Daniel Hogan, a conductor recognised for his musicianship and empathetic leadership, currently conducting the London Symphony Orchestra as a Donatella Flick Conducting Competition finalist, and newly appointed conductor of Bath Symphony Orchestra.
Open to string players of grade 5+ (guaranteed place) and woodwind, brass and percussion players of grade 7+, aged 12–21. Players of less common orchestral instruments are encouraged to apply.
Dates: 30–31 Oct 2026, 15–16 Feb 2027, 16 Mar 2027 · Concert: 23 Mar 2027, St George’s Bristol
Cost: £85 per course (free for pupil premium students)
Music Production Courses
Learn about music production and get expert support in production techniques. WEMA runs a series of ten-week courses (with a half term break at a halfway point). Students will create an original piece of music using Logic Pro X, with prompts provided by the Bath College lecturers and WEMA staff. All levels of experience welcome.
Next course: TBC
Sessions run from 5pm-6:30pm. We have space for 16 students in each course at Bath College’s Mac room in the music department. Students must commit to the 10 sessions of each course. The sessions are for students in year 9-13.
Cost: TBC
DJ Workshops from WEMA
Learn DJ skills, including beat matching, loops, and getting a crowd into the groove with our new DJ workshops in Bath, hosted by Komedia Club. It’s a great idea for a Christmas present for parents with children who want to develop some new and exciting music-making skills. And we’ve now expanded this to include children and young people aged 8-18.
Each workshop will be split into two sessions – Session One for secondary aged students with some or no experience, and Session Two for primary aged students just starting out. All workshops will be delivered by local DJ Elley Phunk, alongside WEMA team members. Fee for the workshops is £60 (free for students in receipt of income based PP).
The workshops will culminate in an early club night, where each student will have the opportunity to spin the decks and invite 15 friends and family along to enjoy the club atmosphere!
WEMA Annual Summer Residential Course
The WEMA Summer Residential Course is a friendly and relaxed way to spend five days making music and having fun. Instrumentalists of Grade 4 standard and above who are in years 7-13 are invited to attend the course, which will take place in the beautiful setting of Haberdashers’ Monmouth School. The school has excellent accommodation, food and facilities, including swimming pool, tennis courts, astro turf pitch and sports hall, plus several large common rooms with sofas, large screen TVs and kitchen facilities.
The course, which will be run by our excellent WEMA tutors and a professional conductor, is a chance to join in and play with other young musicians across a range of groups including orchestra, wind band, jazz ensemble, string orchestra (and more depending on attendance).
Next residential course will be in summer 2027.
