From 18th July to 6th August, all NCO 2020 members have been given the opportunity to access over 200 live events alongside 200 learning resources as part of the new digital programme, cumulating on August 6th with the NCO's only concert of 2020.
A 3-week digital programme has been meticulously devised by the team, built on reactions from the parents and children. Without immediately replacing physical courses with online, the NCO staff decided to take the time to go direct to the children and their parents, asking what they would like, and need, as a replacement to the usual residential courses. The response was overwhelming with the main feedback being:
- Having fun & feeling happy
- Learning new musical things
- Meeting friends
The programme has 5 categories of activity: Inspiration, Let’s Create, My Instrument, Wellbeing & Pick ’n Mix. Currently, over 450 children aged 7 to 14 years old from the 2020 membership have signed up to take part and the course will be run via a brand new website, specially created for NCOnline.
At 6pm on August 6th there will be a live stream of the NCOnline Summer Celebration #unmutedNCO. This will be a short sharing of some of the work done in the past 3 weeks and will end with the performance of the newly commissioned NCO Mambo multi track; the one and only NCO performance of 2020.
Programme highlights include:
- Inspirational webinars hosted by NCO's Artistic & Educational Director, Catherine Arlidge, with special guests including actor Tamsin Greig, actor and musician Bill Bailey, composers Howard Goodall and Debbie Wiseman, and more!
- 2 live section meet ups for every child with their tutor and a social staff mentor
- Live instrumental masterclasses for Juniors and Seniors separately
- Specially commissioned NCO Mambo, composed and arranged by Ryan Linham, for a huge multi-tracked grand finale to NCOnline 2020
- Jonathan James, NCO’s Creative Lead, has prepared fantastic creative challenges in which children will learn improvisation techniques based on rhythm, melody and colour.
- Wellbeing experts, Sarah Upjohn and Tom Taffinder have created four short videos for families to watch to help them develop a better understanding of posture, wellbeing and how to avoid playing related injuries.
- Live quizzes, virtual escape rooms and craft activities for the children to do in their own time
Sophie Lewis, NCO Managing Director, and Catherine Arlidge, NCO Artistic and Educational Director, commented:
"Even though our orchestras cannot play together at the moment, we hope children will discover different ways to be creative, learn new musical skills and be inspired as well as meet friends and above all, have some fun! Together, we will discover technology's potential to support the musical development and wellbeing of our young musicians and so we are excited to be launching NCOnline today"
Click here to read the full press release. For further information, please contact:
Fleur Chaffé |[email protected] | 07763 237466
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