Mariangela Vacatello performed in one of our MUSIC AT MATRIX concert series

It was our turn to host Yamaha's National Junior Original Concert in Oxfordshire this year and so the event was held at Abingdon School on Sunday 4th March. Watch the performances here.

Myfanwy Griffiths, aged 10, was chosen to represent the UK at Yamaha's European Junior Original Concert this year, with her ensemble 'Wolfpack'. She, co-performers Martin Ludden and Peter Fegyveres-Nagy; along with teachers and parents, all travelled to Hamburg at half-term for the event. Miffy is 10 years old, studying with Lindsay MacKenzie on Junior Advanced Course Book 8 - she is about to graduate to the Advanced Extension Course in March.

Julia Watson, an educational consultant and parent at Matrix Arts Centre, kindly offered her services in the shape of a talk for parents: 'Supporting Children's Creative Achievement'. The event was well-attended, and Julia also offered parents a relaxation download to take home.

Congratulations to Sarah on winning first prize for the senior category in the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition 2017! She won the top prize for her piece Three Miniatures of Ynws Lawd which was then played at a special Proms composers' concert. This was broadcast on Radio 3 soon afterwards alongside an interview with Sarah. Listen to her composition.

Some videos of teachers attempting to play their new instruments...!

Watch four of our Yamaha Music School students perform their compositions at this national young composers’ concert held in the concert hall at Birmingham University

We are very grateful to Mike Lord, of Blue Lotus Media, who made a short video with the Matrix teachers to give parents a taster of what happens in the Junior Extension Course. Watch it to learn about JXC - and also for a peek inside our beautiful building!

Beatrice Marshall and Max Blansjaar, along with classmates and choir of JXC and JAC students, travelled by coach with teachers and families to Burton on Trent to perform their compositions alongside other composers from Burton and Nottingham Yamaha Music Schools.

Listen to Max Blansjaar perform his piano composition 'The Cat and the Butterfly'.

Listen to Alejandra Priestman-Degano's piece 'Theme and Variations'. Alejandra and her teacher, Lindsay MacKenzie, travelled to Hamburg to perform her piece at Europe's fourth European Junior Original Concert.

Nathan Hawkes, 11, represented the UK at this year's EJOC. His composition, 'Forest in a Nutshell', has three movements: The Squirrel, The Bear and The Eagle. Co-performers included students from Germany, France, Austria, Greece and Portugal. Nathan is currently studying JXC Book 8 with Antonia King.

We celebrated Matrix's 20th year with a concert at Oxford Town Hall, where the extension and advanced course students played and sang. The programme includes a 'potted history' of Matrix.

Bass guitarist Colin Greenwood and producer Nigel Godrich invited thirty Junior Extension children to help realise an idea for one of the tracks on Radiohead's forthcoming album. The whole experience was great fun - for parents as well!

Imogen Reay, 11, travelled to Paris in the company of family, teachers and classmates, where she performed alongside young composers from Italy, France and Germany. This was the second ever European JOC - and Imogen was the UK's first ever performer in an international original concert.

Listen to Imogen’s composition: 'The Chicken and the Rooster'.