Looking Back on Our Winter Concert

A final concert filled with music and memories!

Our Winter Concert brought our 13 and 14-year-olds together for a final celebration of everything they have achieved both as musicians and as a community. This performance marked the culmination of their 2025 repertoire and their final moments as part of NCO.

The orchestra reunited with conductor Andrew Morley, who had previously led them in their Lights, Camera, Action summer concert at Bristol Beacon. Rehearsals were focused and upbeat, with the musicians arriving well prepared and ready to give their very best in their last performance together.

Throughout the evening, our NCO Young Presenters guided the audience through the programme. They introduced each piece with confidence, offering insights into the music and the orchestra’s experience of preparing it. One presenter shared a thoughtful speech on behalf of the orchestra, reflecting on their time at NCO and thanking the team for all their support. It was such a genuine and memorable moment.

The concert opened with Alfred Newman’s 20th Century Fox Fanfare, immediately setting an exciting tone. The orchestra continued with Korngold’s The Sea Hawk and Bernard Herrmann’s ‘Prelude’ and ‘The Nightmare’ from Vertigo, showcasing a range of moods and styles. William Walton’s Henry V came next, followed by Nino Rota’s La Strada to close the first half with a lively and engaging performance.

After the interval, the orchestra returned for Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The young musicians played with focus, confidence and a strong sense of ensemble, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

To close the concert, the orchestra chose something that felt completely their own. They ended with their rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, a light-hearted tradition they have shared throughout the year. After performing a full programme, this final burst of playfulness felt like the perfect reminder of who they are as a group. It showed the joy, humour and togetherness that has carried them through their time at NCO, bringing a joyful close to their journey.

The Winter Concert was a fitting conclusion to their time with us, full of music, memories and moments that showed just how far our 13 and 14-year-olds have come.
We would like to thank Andrew Morley, our dedicated music tutors and support team for helping the day run so smoothly. We wish our young musicians every success in their next adventures.