Bringing together the Members of our National programme from 2020 and 2021 for celebratory orchestral days this autumn, in what will be their first in-person activity together since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
The young musicians, whose orchestral residencies were unable to take place, will finally get together in the impressive Great Hall of the Richard Hoggart Building at Goldsmiths University, London for orchestral days this November and December.
Many of these musicians will be reuniting having been NCO Members together in previous years, whilst others will be meeting for the first time. Many will have got to know each other through NCO’s successful online programmes; NCOnline 2020 and NCO Online 2021, programmes which kept young musicians in touch and learning through challenging times.
Due care will be taken with a number of Covid secure measures and the safety of young musicians, their families, as well as NCO and venue staff a priority. NCO will continue to monitor the pandemic and react accordingly.
Catherine Arlidge, NCO Artistic & Educational Director, said:
“There’s no doubt these remarkable, and as we have found out, resilient, young musicians are all very excited to finally get together, learn and rehearse fantastic repertoire before a musical sharing with family and friends at the end of the day. We cannot wait to bring them together for joyful music making and celebration, and to hear them play!”
The three groups will play ambitious and varied repertoire with inspiring conductors and tutors. Two of the three orchestras will also have the opportunity to perform new music from composers who are part of ABRSM’s pilot Composer Mentor programme.
THE MUSIC
Main orchestra
The young musicians from NCO’s main orchestra were at most 14 when they last auditioned and are now mostly 15 and 16 years old, the eldest NCO Members ever! This will be their final NCO activity, as the programme is usually for 8-14 year olds. It's a big moment, particularly for those who have been members for several years and is a wonderful final opportunity to play together, in a huge orchestra of 130 young people.
The Main Orchestra will be learning and performing the thrilling and challenging Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov under the baton of Dominic Wheeler, who last worked with NCO in 2019.
On the day young musicians will also work with musicians from The Yehudi Menuhin School.