joining in players
Bringing together around 165 players from across Britain, the NYO is so much more than just an orchestra. It’s a place to meet, work and play with musicians like yourself, eager to take their talents to new frontiers. It’s an opportunity to learn from inspiring professionals and make sensational music with wonderful conductors and soloists. It’s a chance to communicate with audiences across the country, to share the excitement and joy you get from being a musician. It’s an experience like no other, enabling you to develop in character, confidence and musicianship, and make some of the best friends you’ll ever meet along the way.
In the words of NYO member Sam Moffitt: ‘It’s not just an incredible orchestral experience, it’s an incredible learning experience too. What you learn is matchless: not just how to be a better musician but how to be a better team player, how to be more confident and take risks and achieve things you never thought possible.’
Every year, we hold auditions for new members. If you’d like to play with us, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for young musicians with talent and potential. Alongside strong technique, intonation and rhythmic sense, you should have huge energy for making music, an appetite for discovery, an open mind, and a great team spirit. Specifically, you should:
• play an orchestral instrument to a standard equivalent to Grade 8 with distinction (ABRSM/Trinity Guildhall/London College of Music) or higher, although you don’t need to have taken any exams
• be 18 or under on 1 September in the year before you join the orchestra
• be a British citizen, or be resident or studying in the British Isles
• not be studying full time at a college of music or on a joint course with a music college
Current and former NYO members are entitled to re-audition so long as they are under 20 when the NYO year culminates. Current and former members are also welcome to apply for the principal role in their section and – in the case of violinists – for Leader. If you are interested in either role, read on to find out what’s expected.
Section Principal
Being a section principal is a position of responsibility that the NYO values and takes seriously. As well as leading the section musically, principals look after the well-being and unity of their section whilst working as a team with other principals to cultivate strong ensemble spirit across the orchestra. At the start of the year, principals meet with the Director to define the values which they believe the orchestra should stand for. Training sessions preceding each course aim to cultivate skills that are relevant to the role of principal and will prove useful in other creative ventures beyond the NYO. Meetings during courses enable principals to share views with the management team, evaluate progress and shape future activities. As well as demonstrating musical leadership qualities, we expect our principals to be alert, open-minded, positive team-players who are communicative, approachable and supportive, and ready to act as advocates for the NYO.
Leader
The Leader of the NYO should be an exceptional musician who sets a high standard for all to follow in every aspect of NYO life. They should inspire all other members in their level of preparation, their engagement with repertoire, their positive attitude and enthusiastic participation in all activities beyond rehearsals, and the respect and consideration they show to all other participants. Working alongside the other principals, the Leader should motivate all members to take initiative and play with equal commitment, energy, passion and accuracy, wherever they are sitting. They are a figurehead for the orchestra, building key relationships through regular dialogue with the Director, conductors and NYO staff. They are expected to be a passionate advocate for the NYO experience, able to articulate its values fluently, inspiring other young musicians and supporters in our concert programmes, media coverage, at open days, workshops and other encounters with the public. Support and training will help them achieve this uniquely significant and exciting role.
It’s now too late to apply for NYO 2011 but we’ll be opening applications again here next Spring.