Apex Band Project unites Derry youth through music

On Saturday night, the New Gate Art and Cultural Centre in Derry was filled with the powerful sounds of unity and hope as the Apex Band Project held its concluding concert.

The groundbreaking initiative, launched by St. Columb's School of Music, brought together young music students from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, supported by Apex Housing Association (Apex) through the ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme.

IN PICTURES: Apex Band Project brings unite and hope through music

Louis Fields, Co-Founder of St. Columb’s School of Music, explained: “We invited everyone to join us as our three newly established youth bands took to the stage, performing a wide range of songs they crafted over the past few months.

"Guided by our experienced tutors, this concert celebrated the students' hard work, creativity, and the beautiful harmony that music can foster among diverse groups.

"To inspire the new bands, The Suite, the city's hottest new band formed through the GCSE music course at St. Columb’s College, performed as the headline act.”

The Apex Band Project began with a series of free workshops, inviting secondary school students from Culmore and the wider Derry area to hone their skills, learn new techniques, and understand the intricacies of forming a band.  The students from different cultural backgrounds and identities also learned how to set up equipment, conduct sound checks and create set lists - essential skills for any aspiring musician.

Teresa McCloskey from Apex Housing Association commented: “After 16 weeks of mentorship and practice, it was great to see this group of young people from eight different local schools performing together in public for the first time as newly formed bands.

"It was our pleasure to support the project through the good relations plan for our shared neighbourhood in the city, Woodlands Avenue in Culmore.  Our hope is that the three bands will continue beyond this project, and that their confidence will continue to grow following this sold-out concert.”

The Apex Band Project was supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme had its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy, which reflected the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.

A potential of £4.4m will be invested in Apex’s Woodlands Avenue shared neighbourhood in Culmore and its associated good relations plan.

Apex works in partnership with local advisory group stakeholders and residents to develop and deliver a good relations plan for the area. This plan includes ‘bridging’ events which are delivered to the wider community to encourage a range of good relations outcomes which include health and wellbeing, arts and culture, education and training.