Orchestral weeks

Play your part. Auditions are open for 2026! More

During Orchestral weeks young musicians take their playing to another level. They discover incredible music with our world class music team, take part in creative sessions with composers to collaborate and write their own music, and they learn how to look after their bodies and minds with experts in sports, psychology and fitness.

There’s also down time, where they get to know their fellow musicians and make friends for life. They are cared for brilliantly by our trained Support Team and in line with our robust safeguarding policy.

The residential week culminates in a public concert in one of the UK’s most prestigious concert halls.

Orchestral weeks are supported by year-round access to online resources and events to prepare young musicians for in-person activity – particularly if they haven’t been away from home before – and to enrich their musical learning.

Meet friends,

Meet friends, make music, have fun.

The young musicians who take part in our Orchestral Weeks are some of the most remarkable young musicians in the UK.

Auditions are free and are by video recording.

We have suggested grade guidance from at least grade 4, to help give children and their families and idea of the level of playing young musicians need to be at in order to gain a place and enjoy taking part. This can depend on the instrument and the age of the young musician, and they do not need to have taken the exams, as offers are based on their playing and musicality in their audition.

There are three auditioned age-banded symphony orchestras that meet for two residential orchestral weeks in the year – one week in the spring school holidays (March/April) and one in the summer (July/August) school holidays. The orchestra made up of our eldest members also meet up for a non-residential weekend in November.

The three age banded orchestras are 11-12, 12-13 and 13-14, based on the age of the young musicians on 31st August of the year before they audition for NCO and young musicians come from across the United Kingdom.

If you are aged 11 as of 31st August 2025, you can audition for the 2026 Under 12 Orchestra.
If you are aged 12 as of 31st August 2025, you can audition for the 2026 Under 13 Orchestra.
If you are aged 13 as of 31st August 2025, you can audition for the 2026 Under 14 Orchestra.

You can find membership fees on this page and full financial support is available.

More information & Auditions process

If you’ve been in NCO before, these orchestras were previously called our National orchestras.

Each age-banded residential orchestra is allocated:

A week-long spring residential between Sat 4th April and Sun 12th April 2026 and
A week-long summer residential between Sat 25th July and Sat 8th August 2026.

The Under 14 Orchestra (those aged 13 as of 31st August 2025) will also meet for a non-residential weekend in November 2026.

Audition information

We welcome auditions for Orchestral Weeks from young musicians who:

Are aged 11-13 years old (as of 31st August 2025) and
Play an orchestral instrument to the appropriate standard and
Are British citizens or are living/studying in the UK (please check with us if you are unsure)

Audition information

The membership fee to take part in two Orchestral Weeks in 2026 is:

Under 12 and Under 13 Orchestras (those aged 11 or 12 as of 31st August 2025) £2100

Under 14 Orchestra (those aged 13 as of 31st August 2025*) £2300

We also offer full and partial financial support to help ensure everyone who is offered a place can take part.

Audition information

Auditions are free and submitted via video. Auditions opened on Wednesday 14th May and the deadline to apply including submitting your audition recording is 9am Thursday 31st July 2025.

You’ll find detailed information on our Auditions pages.

Audition information

Music is just the beginning.  Through hard work and dedication, NCO members develop their extraordinary musical abilities – but that’s not all. They also build confidence, resilience and teamwork. Skills for life, no matter where their journey takes them.

“It’s the real thing. It’s like taking your child and enabling them to access a future that without NCO would be something existing in dreams, if at all.”

Parent of a Young Musician, 2024

“Being part of National Children’s Orchestras has been like finding my people, my community — the place where I truly belong. I feel so privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to be part of it all.”

Young Musician, 2024, aged 14

See our orchestras perform!

There’s nothing quite like watching young musicians.

Get involved by joining us at a concert hall near you.

Concerts

Orchestral weeks

Meet friends,

Meet friends, make music, have fun.

The young musicians who take part in our Orchestral Weeks are some of the most remarkable young musicians in the UK.

More information & Auditions process

When and Where? +

Who can join? +

What does it cost? +

How to audition +

Music is just the beginning. Through hard work and dedication, NCO members develop their extraordinary musical abilities – but that’s not all. They also build confidence, resilience and teamwork. Skills for life, no matter where their journey takes them.

“It’s the real thing. It’s like taking your child and enabling them to access a future that without NCO would be something existing in dreams, if at all.”

“Being part of National Children’s Orchestras has been like finding my people, my community — the place where I truly belong. I feel so privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to be part of it all.”

See our orchestras perform!

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Meet friends, make music, have fun.

Music is just the beginning.  Through hard work and dedication, NCO members develop their extraordinary musical abilities – but that’s not all. They also build confidence, resilience and teamwork. Skills for life, no matter where their journey takes them.