Geordie Music Foundation with Knats
Create. Experiment. Make music with Mercury-nominated Knats.
Mercury Prize nominated band Knats are looking for young musicians to join them in this brand new free monthly session at The Glasshouse. Players will work with Stan, King and Ferg from the band to develop their playing and meet other likeminded young musicians.
Read on to find out more about the sessions, who can take part and how to apply.
Need to know
Venue: The Glasshouse
Price: Free
Date & Time: Sundays, 5.30pm–7.30pm, monthly. Starting Sun 24 Jan
Ages: 13 – 17 years
If you like the sound of this and want to find out more, you can email louise.duff@theglasshouseicm.org with any questions.
Knats introduce their Geordie Music Foundation
We caught up with Stan and King from Knats to hear all about the new Geordie Music Foundation – what you need to know, what you can expect and how you can apply for your spot to learn and play with the band.
Play video
Want to know more?
Who is it for?
The session is for musicians aged 13-17 who already play an instrument, and want to develop their playing, learn to improvise with others, experiment, and find a fresh, shared approach to music through the lens of composition, rhythm and harmony, touching on different genres of music like rock, jazz, funk, folk and so on.
If you’re starting to think about where music could take you next, whether that’s further study, joining bands, creating your own music or exploring a future in the music industry, it’s a chance to learn from some of the most exciting musicians in the industry with first-hand experience of building a career.
We’re looking for instrumentalists who play bass, drums, keys, sax, trumpet, guitar or piano, and are confident on their instrument. You don’t need to be able to read music to take part, but you must be confident at playing your instrument
Who’s leading it?
Knats, who are one of the North East’s most exciting breakout bands. Their album A Great Day In Newcastle has been nominated for the 2026 Mercury Prize, putting them in the mix with some of the biggest names in UK and Irish music. They describe what they do as Geordie Jazz, mixing jazz with rock, spoken word and big, groove-led arrangements
When founding members Stan (bass) and King (drums) were growing up in Newcastle, they met each other by chance and bonded through their shared love of music, discovering what could happen when they played together. They met Ferg (trumpet) some years later, who had been playing in jazz ensembles like Jambone at The Glasshouse, and Knats was born. They now want to create a space for young musicians in the region to meet each other and play together.
What will each session be like?
Each session will be different, but by taking part you will experience improvisation, groove, rhythm, harmony, phrasing and listening, working with Knats to channel those into your own musical ideas. There will be a jam at the end of each session where you can play together with everyone.
What are the dates?
The sessions run throughout year, 5.30pm–7.30pm and will take place monthly, the first five dates are:
Sunday 24 January 2027
Sunday 28 February 2027
Sunday 21 March 2027
Sunday 25 April 2027
Sunday 23 May 2027
You must be available to attend all sessions.
How do I sign up?
We’ll ask you to fill out a few simple questions about you and your instrument on our online form. We will then contact you to let you know you have a place.
Apply for the Geordie Music Foundation
Applications close on Thursday 17 December.
You’ll hear back by Friday 8 January.