Barbican Theatre (Plymouth) are thrilled to announce the launch of ReBels Music, after successfully securing funding from Youth Music. 

ReBels Music is part of Barbican Theatre’s wider talent development work supporting Plymouth’s own creative voice and giving them platforms to be heard. ReBels Music will support the growth of music industry talent in the city. Not only those who want to perform, but those who want to record, produce, market and design tours that promote music.

Barbican Theatre understands you ‘can’t be what you can’t see’, and this programme aims to break down barriers to expose young people to all the vital roles that make up the music industry, and opportunities to work with leading industry professionals.  We want to provide other pathways into the music industry, and give young artists routes to finding their own creative voices – whether as lyricists, composers, producers, mixers, engineers or musicians.

Barbican Theatre’s ReBels Talent Music Lead, James Woodhams says 

“I’m so happy we’re introducing this dynamic new element of our ReBels talent development training programme. ReBels Music will provide young people with access to professional mentoring, recording space and enable them to develop as musicians, producers, managers and within many other music industry roles. This programme came from our young people’s desire to do more music focused work and thanks to Youth Music we can make that desire a reality.”

The ReBels Music team is joined initially by four incredible experts from the music industry 

Alex Hart

Alex Hart lives in Plymouth and has been a professional musician for 15 years. She has been lucky enough to play at some legendary venues around the UK, Europe and the USA either solo, with Martin Barre from Jethro Tull or more recently with Seth Lakeman.

When Alex was 18 she was signed to a small record label in the UK and the US and released her debut album ‘On This Day’ which had regular airplay from Radio 2 and local BBC Radio stations. In the summer of 2013, Alex released a cover of Angie Stone’s ‘Wish I Didn’t Miss You’ which went to No.2 in the dance charts and was supported by Pete Tong on Radio 1.

During lockdown, after losing 3 USA tours due to Covid 19, Alex has recorded a covers album (Under the Covers) from the comfort of her spare room. She has played every instrument herself and it features songs that have influenced her over the years. These include songs from The Eagles, Billy Joel, Nick Drake to name a few. You can buy this for digital download from her website.

Daisy Higman

Daisy is an experienced theatre-maker, composer, writer, voice artist and musician living in the South West. She identifies as a disabled artist and is passionate about inclusive arts practice.

Daisy trained as an actor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, has an MA in Professional Voice Practice from the Birmingham School of Acting. She has taught voice at Bristol Old Vic and Plymouth Conservatoire, and regularly teaches theatre skills at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, as well as leading Far Flung Dance Theatre’s Coffee Cup Choir. Daisy also runs workshops in vocal improvisation. She is a graduate of TRP’s Lab Company Scheme, Graeae’s Write To Play and is currently a member of Extant Theatre’s Directing Pathways and TRP’s Eggbox Writer’s Development scheme.

As a composer, Daisy has written for the Narwhal Ensemble, Above Bound’s Theatre Collective, Kick The Dirt Theatre, CEDA, FarFlung and for Emma Latham’s production of Lady of the English at Wilton’s Music Hall. She also wrote the vocal score for Welcome (Sent Forever) with artist Beth Maxwell-Pooley and the Hum Collective. 

Benny Lau Crispin

Benny Lau Crispin is a Director of Milk Box Music Group Ltd.

Based at their recording studio ‘The Granary Studio’ in Callington Cornwall, the company has grown to offer a range of services from music engineering and recording, production tuition, record label management, distribution and promotion services aimed at up and coming musicians and producers from all over the South West.

Benny has toured Europe and many of the biggest festivals performing in acts such as Panda and Two Tribes and his music has been signed to some of the world’s leading dance music labels including Toolroom, Anjuna Deep and Love & Other.

Jason Singh

Jason Singh is a sound artist, producer, DJ, facilitator and performer.

He is a solo artist and collaborator whose creative output spans across a wide range of art forms, music genres and education practices.

His work includes: sound installations, nature soundscapes, radio shows, sound design and sound explorations using biodata, ceramics, textiles and museum objects.

Referred to as “the human sampler” by Cerys Matthews (Radio 6), Singh also vocally recreates birdsong and natural environments. His work has been called “beautiful, strange, calming music” by nature writer Robert Macfarlane and has also featured on the 2019 BBC Lost Words prom, BBC Radio 4’s Pick of the Year, Springwatch and Countryfile.

Singh’s collaboration include a diverse range of organisations and artists including BBC, V&A Museum, Kew Gardens, Chester Zoo, BFI, Celtic Connections, RNLI, Music for Youth, National Trust, Tate Britain, Yazz Ahmed, Shabaka Hutchings, Sarathy Korwar, Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, Rokia Traore to name but a few.

Matt Griffiths, Youth Music CEO says: 

“It’s really important we improve access in to the music industries for all young people, whatever their background. That’s why we’re excited to invest in progressive organisations like the Barbican Theatre, who lead the way with their innovative approach and dedication to diversifying the creative sector.”

A full year of ReBels Music activity is planned, with the first a selection of 13 free practical workshops, webinars and masterclasses running via zoom from 25 February to 31 March. These 13 free workshops have been scheduled throughout the week, day and evening to reach as many people as possible.

Thu 25 Feb 6pm – 7:30pm ‘How to record album from home’ with Alex Hart

Tue 2 Mar 4pm – 5pm ‘Intro to Beat Boxing & Looping ‘ with Jason Singh

Sat 6 Mar 12pm – 2pm ‘Vocal Gym’ with Daisy Higman

Tue 9 Mar 4pm – 5pm ‘Cross cultural rhythms expressed through the voice’ with Jason Singh

Fri 12 Mar 7pm – 8pm ‘Basic beat-making on Logic Pro X / Ableton’ with Benny Lau-Crispin

Sun 14 Mar 11am – 12:30pm ‘Overcoming Performance Anxiety and Stage Fright’ with Daisy Higman

Tue 16 Mar 7pm – pm ‘Introduction to SongWriting’ with Alex Hart

Wed 17 Mar 1pm – 2pm ‘Introduction to Guitar Soloing ‘ with Benny Lau-Crispn

Mon 22 Mar 12pm – 1:30pm ‘Songwriting Clinic’ with Alex Hart

Tue 23 Mar 6pm – 7pm ‘Vocal Flow’ with Daisy Higman

Wed 24 Mar 2pm – 3pm ‘Exploring different time signatures’ with Jason Singh

Mon 29 Mar 5pm – 6:30pm ‘Songwriting Clinic’ with Alex Hart

Wed 31 Mar 1pm – 2pm ‘Studio day to day’ with Benny Lau-Crispin

Further details of ReBels Music activity for the rest of the year will be published shortly (subject to any covid 19 national guidance) These include DJ nights, Sound system clash, studio development time, silent discos, intensives with industry experts and collaborations with other ReBels Talent Development groups to create performances for our summer event.  ReBels Music initial free sessions running 25 February – 31 March can be booked here 

Plymouth singer songwriter and ReBels Music team member, Alex Hart says

“It’s amazing that, in these dark times for the music industry, Barbican Theatre is doing so much. They provide a great platform for so many young people from different backgrounds, helping them experience the rich variety of roles in the industry that might lead towards careers they’d never even considered!”

For updates on our ReBels Music activity, events and opportunities please visit our website barbicantheatre.co.uk/rebels-music or follow us on social media

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