Concerts

Classical Concerts for families

Experience the joy and energy of a wonderful children's orchestra. Get involved by joining us at a concert near you.

NCO concerts are for everyone – bring your family and friends to NCO and appreciate the joy and energy you’ll find nowhere else than with a wonderful children’s orchestra.

We have six public concerts a year in concert halls and venues like Bristol Beacon, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Lighthouse Poole, Portsmouth Guildhall, Woolwich Works and Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.

Check out our upcoming concerts on this page!

Tickets for under 18s, for students or for those who are currently unwaged are £7.

A free ticket is available if you are joined by an essential carer and adult tickets range from £17 – £23. Audience members aged 5 and under are most welcome and go free of charge.

Not to mention that if you are having instrumental lessons with a Music Hub local to the concert venue, you can have up to two NCO First Experience FREE tickets for your family, when you come to see NCO for the first time. Get in touch and we can let you know the promo code you need to use.

On concert days we like the audience to get involved too and present pre-concert activities including:

Q&As with NCO members, soloists, tutors and conductors
Musical workshops
Open rehearsals

Where pre-concert activity is available you’ll find it on this page and on the relevant venue website.

Join the amazing 12 and 13 year olds of NCO 2025 for their environmentally themed summer concert.

Led by Conductor Matthew Quinn and compered by CBBC’s Naomi Wilkinson, hear what this music and the environment means to our young musicians as they bring to life:

Leonard Bernstein Slava
Jean Sibelius Finlandia
Rachel Portman Endangered
Gustav Holst ‘Jupiter’ from The Planets
Hans Zimmer Earth
Benjamin Britten ‘Dawn’ and ‘Storm’ from Peter Grimes
Debbie Wiseman Carnival of the Endangered Animals
Arum Khachaturian ‘Fire’ from Gayane Ballet Suite No. 2
Arturo Marquez Conga del Fuego

Book Tickets

Join the incredible 13 and 14 year olds of NCO 2025 for their film themed family concert. Led and presented by Conductor Andy Morley you’ll hear what this music means to our young musicians as they bring to life for all the family:

Alfred Newman 20th Century Fox Fanfare
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Sea Hawk
Bernard Herrmann ‘Prelude’ from The Nightmare
William Walton Music for Henry V
Nino Rota arr. Wadsworth La Strada
Jerry Goldsmith Universal Pictures Fanfare
John William Raider’s March
Howard Shore arr. Whitney Fellowship of the Ring Symphonic Suite
Pinar Toprak arr. Tormod Tvete Vik Captain Marvel
Ray Parker Junior arr. Campbell Ghostbusters
Kalus Badelt arr. Ted Ricketts Pirates of the Caribbean
Perez Prado Que Rico Mambo

Book Tickets

Join the brilliant 11 and 12 year olds of NCO 2025 as they dazzle you with their Spellbound concert. Led by Conductor Caroline Hobbs-Smith, you’ll hear what this music means to our young musicians as they bring to life:

Modest Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain
Georges Bizet Carmen Suite 1: Prelude, Aragonaise, Intermezzo and Toreadors
Camille Saint-Saens Danse Macabre
Alan Menken arr. Kosarin Beauty and the Beast Overture
Joe Hisaishi Princess Monoke and Kiki’s Delivery Service
Pinar Toprak arr. Tormod Tvete Vik Captain Marvel
John Powell How to Train Your Dragon
Kalus Badelt arr. Ted Ricketts Pirates of the Caribbean

Book Tickets

“We were utterly blown away by the quality of musicianship displayed. I found it very emotional! The sheer joy of the children was utterly delightful and shone through their performance.”

Audience Member and Parent, Concert, 2024

Concerts

Classical Concerts for families

Experience the joy and energy of a wonderful children's orchestra. Get involved by joining us at a concert near you.

Tickets for under 18s, for students or for those who are currently unwaged are £7.

Saturday 2nd August - There’s No Planet B Concert 4.30pm at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester +

Sunday 10th August - Lights, Camera, Action Family Concert 4.30pm at Bristol Beacon +

Sunday 17th August - Spellbound Concert 4.30pm at Portsmouth Guildhall +

“We were utterly blown away by the quality of musicianship displayed. I found it very emotional! The sheer joy of the children was utterly delightful and shone through their performance.”

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