National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids National Youth Orchestra
Youth orchestra
Short name	NYO
Founded	1948 (1948)
Location	Holborn, London

The National Youth Orchestra (NYO) is a special orchestra for young musicians in the United Kingdom. It used to be called the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. This orchestra has 164 members, all aged between 13 and 19 years old.

To join, young musicians need to try out in auditions held every autumn. These auditions happen in different places across the country. While you don't need to have taken exams, you should be at a high level, like ABRSM Grade 8 Distinction. The NYO has won important awards, including the Queen's Medal for Music in 2012. In 2015, they received the Royal Philharmonic Society's Ensemble award. This award recognized their great work, especially starting the NYO Inspire program.

About the NYO and Its Leaders

The National Youth Orchestra was started in 1948 by Ruth Railton. She later became known as Dame Ruth King. After her, other talented people led the NYO. These leaders included Ivey Dickson and Derek Bourgeois.

Since 2007, Sarah Alexander has been the Chief Executive and Artistic Director. Each time the orchestra meets, a famous conductor leads them. Many well-known conductors have worked with the NYO. Some of these include Sir Simon Rattle, Vladimir Jurowski, and Marin Alsop. Walter Susskind was one of the first conductors for the NYO.

NYO Courses and Concerts

The orchestra gets together three times a year during school holidays. They meet for two-week camps around New Year, Easter, and in the Summer. During these camps, expert teachers coach the young musicians.

The NYO plays many different kinds of music. They perform pieces by composers from the Romantic period and from the 20th century. They also play new music by modern composers like James MacMillan and Thomas Adès. Besides playing in the main orchestra, members can join other fun activities. These include playing chamber music, dancing, singing, and making up music on the spot. They also get to make new friends.

The NYO performs in famous concert halls. These include Barbican Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London. They also play at Symphony Hall, Birmingham and Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Every year, they perform in a special concert called the BBC Proms. This concert takes place at the Royal Albert Hall and celebrates young British talent.

In 2011, for example, they played a unique piece with a DJ called Mr Switch. They also performed music by Benjamin Britten and Sergei Prokofiev. They even played a very long symphony by Gustav Mahler. The NYO also plays new music often. In 2010, they performed a piece called Fantasias by Julian Anderson. They played it in London and Birmingham.

In April 2010, the orchestra grew to 173 players. They focused on all the orchestral works by Edgard Varèse. They even played the first UK performance of his famous piece, Amériques. This concert was part of a festival where the NYO played all of Varèse's music. During their courses, NYO members also meet younger musicians. They share their love for music and their skills with the next generation. In 2015 and 2019, the orchestra also performed at the Young Euro Classic festival.

NYO Composers

The NYO also has a special program for young composers. This program started in 2010. Seven young composers work alongside the orchestra during the camps. They write their own music for small groups of instruments. They also lead short workshops with the full orchestra. In recent years, these new pieces have been performed before or after the main NYO concerts. Since 2023, Stavros Papanikolaou has directed this program.

Notable Musicians from NYO

Many talented musicians have been part of the National Youth Orchestra. Some of them have become very famous.

Dominic Seldis (1986–1989)

See also

In Spanish: Joven Orquesta Nacional de Gran Bretaña para niños

• National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain
• National Youth String Orchestra
• National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain
• National Youth Jazz Orchestra
• National Youth Orchestras of Scotland
• National Youth Orchestra of Wales
• List of youth orchestras