National Youth Orchestras of Great Britain run Inspire Days across the country for teenagers playing at Grade 6-8+.
NYO Inspire Days offer immersive workshops and rehearsals, focused on peer learning and sharing with NYO musicians. Through this open exchange, young musicians develop ensemble playing skills and explore ways of listening, while experiencing the joys of orchestral music-making in a friendly and creative environment.
This is what one budding young musicians from Lynn Grove Academy in Gorleston-on-Sea experienced when he attended the NYO Inspire programme in February half term.
My experience at NYO Inspire
By Jamie H – Trombone
For me, the NYO Inspire Programme was incredible: I received some excellent tips on my instrument, my playing and how to make me a better musician. Not only that, but I met some fantastic instrumentalists around my age, whom I gained knowledge from as well. Personally though, one of the best parts was playing in the brass ensemble, as when being part of an ensemble of that size and being surrounded by amazing musicians helped me to become a better player just by listening. Also, I think that it being a residential course also helped a lot, as on the first day it was a bit daunting, because you don’t know anybody there, but over the three days you get to know the other instrumentalists (which helped my experience to be even better!).
On this course we had three types of rehearsals: the sectionals, the tutti (whole ensemble) and the creative group rehearsals. What I liked about the sectional rehearsals was learning from a knowledgeable and helpful tutor that gave us all lots of tips on our individual playing, and also on how to become a better section.
In the tutti rehearsals you would be in a room full of high standard musicians and would have a handful of different conductors/tutors that gave us different approaches on our playing.
My favourite sessions were the creative sessions. In these you would be assigned to a group of different players that played brass or string instruments. The whole point of this session was to be creative; our group had to make some music based on the dwarf Sneezy from Snow White. Then you would have to present your piece to the rest of the group and I really enjoyed listening to what the other groups had made.
Thank you to Krista Ribbons from the Music Hub, as if she had not told me about this exciting project then I would never have gone and would not have gained the knowledge I now have. So, thank you.
I would recommend the NYO Inspire Programme to any aspiring musician who would like to get better as both
an individual and ensemble player.