YMP supports young musicians aged from 13 to 19 develop skills, write and play together and to take the first steps towards gigging, recording and releasing their own music.
The project is providing musicians and singers for Public Record, a show developed through a partnership between the National Theatre, Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire. The show will feature more than 100 community performers alongside professional musicians and dancers, when it is staged at The Fire Station next month.
The production is part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme, a nationwide initiative creating extraordinary acts of theatre and community.
YMP Founder Laura Brewis explained the project’s involvement in Public Record: “We’re thrilled to be involved and it’s a massive opportunity for some of our young people to be part of such a prestigious show.
“National Theatre’s Director of Public Acts Emily Lim and her Co-Director and Choreographer Dan Canham came and spoke to our young people last year. They wanted to know about their experiences as part of the music community in Sunderland – and to hear their thoughts on the city itself.
“Some of the young people then met with Ross Millard from The Futureheads, who has written several songs for Public Record. So, I suppose we’ve been involved from the early days of the show’s development.
“Emily, Dan and Ross listened very carefully to what the young people had to say, and I’d like to think helped shaped some of the ideas behind the show.”
YMP has provided singers and musicians for separate elements of Public Record. YMP singer songwriter Lily Mac will open the show singing an a capella version of a Ross Millard song. Five drummers from the project will perform in another section, while two musicians, 16-year-old twins Arthur and Elliott Gledhill, will be part of the Public Record house band. The band will also include Ross, Field Music brothers David and Peter Brewis and musician Sarah Hayes.
YMP will also be involved in what may well be the show’s most poignant moment – a tribute to Sunderland singer songwriter Faye Fantarrow, who died in August 2023 at the age of just 21.
Laura explained: “Faye was a hugely popular and talented member of YMP and she is still sadly missed. As part of Public Record, three of our alumni, who came through the ranks of YMP with Faye, will perform one of her songs in tribute to her.
“We worked with Faye’s family and Emily and Dan to choose her song Midas. Faye was such a core part of YMP and I know the tribute to her will be a key part of the show.”
To date, YMP has been rehearsing its separate contributions to Public Record at its Villiers Street studio but will soon join with other city groups to rehearse whole sections of the show at Southpaw Dance’s studio at The Sheepfolds.
Public Record’s community performers are drawn from four groups: Back on the Map, Connect Company from Sunderland Empire, The Odyssey Alumni group and Sunderland Nigerian Family Group. There are also two ‘cameo’ groups involved – YMP and Dance JAM, who are also based at a studio in Villiers Street.
Helen Green, Head of Performance at Sunderland Culture, said: “We’re thrilled that YMP is playing such an important role in Public Record. The show is a celebration of Sunderland’s musical past and future – and for several years YMP has provided a pipeline of musical talent for the city.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the talent of youngsters who attend YMP, and work with talented creatives from National Theatre. The show also aligns perfectly with Sunderland Music City’s ambitions.”
Public Record will transform The Fire Station into a recording studio to create a new album, a portrait of the city through its people. The show, written by North East writer Stewart Pringle, features original music and songs split into 13 ‘tracks’ each celebrating an element of Sunderland and its long and proud musical heritage.
There will be four performances of Public Record at The Fire Station, from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27, and tickets are now on sale.
Public Acts is supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The CareTech Charitable Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Mosawi
Foundation and The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust.
For more information or to book tickets, go to https://www.thefirestation.org.uk/whats-on/365//sunderland-culture-sunderland-empire-national-theatre-present-public-record
For more information about YMP, go to https://www.wemakeculture.co.uk/young-musicians-project