As the spring season ends, NCO celebrates the start of a successful year.
For our young musicians the month of April was jam-packed with creative opportunities, exciting rehearsals and stimulating performances.
The musical activities began on Saturday 6 April, when the oldest NCO musicians – Main Orchestra - arrived at Sherborne Girls' School for their residential ready to be inspired by their conductor, Dominic Wheeler, and an expert team of music tutors. During the week, the orchestra was joined by many special guests including wellbeing professionals, opera singers and Creative Producers who all helped to enrich the course experience.
The residential course culminated in a wonderful concert at The Anvil, Basingstoke, on Sunday 14 April. The performance, titled Scene to Be Believed: Orchestral and Operatic music inspired by fairy-tales, was utterly spellbinding. Singers Carmen Artaza and Samantha Clarke, from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, lent their talents to the concert in order to perform opera excerpts. The combination of music and opera added a brand new dimension to the NCO performance, which delighted everybody in the auditorium.
Next up was the Under 12 Orchestra who made Port Regis School their home for the week. Conductor Robert Hodge had prepared a magical repertoire for the youngsters to get their teeth into and they loved it! Symphonic Sorcery featured music by John Williams, Alan Menken, Camille Saint-Saëns and Edvard Grieg.
The orchestra was also treated to a brand new piece of music, which was written specifically with the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain in mind. Pam Wedgwood’s piece, 3 Card Trick, received its world premiere at the Under 12 Orchestra Spring Concert on Saturday 13 April!
Finally, on Sunday 21 April, the Under 13 Orchestra took to the stage at Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts. The orchestra had been honing their skills all week at Port Regis School under the watchful eye of conductor Etienne Abelin.
Etienne helped the orchestra members to create a very electrifying performance, titled Music for Movement, which incorporated (you guessed it!) music and movement. Advice on choreography was provided by Juan Carlos Maggiorani, and the members also got to try their hand with the Music:Eyes software which added an extra special element to the concert.
Etienne commented: “What a week it was with NCO. The final concert was such a treat, with beautiful, passionate playing, some extraordinary brand new visualizations created by young NCO musicians on the Music:Eyes software. These extraordinary young musicians were on fire!”
These spring concerts were just a hint of what is to come this year! Have you saved these dates in your diary?
NCO MAIN ORCHESTRA WITH JESS GILLAM
Saturday 10 August at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (6pm)
Tickets on sale now
ONE GIANT LEAP by Under 13 Orchestra
Saturday 17 August at Portsmouth Guildhall (4pm)
Tickets on sale soon
DREAMS, FANTASY, NIGHTMARES by Under 12 Orchestra
Sunday 18 August at Town Hall, Birmingham (6:30pm)
Tickets on sale soon
NCO WINTER CONCERT by Main Orchestra
Sunday 8 December (3pm) at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London
Tickets on sale now
