Young musicians improve their skills at April event

The NYO Inspire Day will offer peer-to-peer mentoring and the chance to perform in an orchestra.
Young musicians can learn from the very best and improve their music-making skills at an event in April with the National Youth Orchestra (NYO).
The first NYO Inspire Day will take place on April 3rd at St Hild & St Bede College, Durham University, as the NYO gets ready to kick off its annual residency in the north-east of England.
Before the prestigious orchestra gets going with rehearsals and performances they will dedicate this one day to local children keen to develop their individual musicianship and group skills.
Principal players at the NYO and professional members of the Northern Sinfonia will offer one-on-one tuition completely free to participants and section and full orchestra rehearsals will also offer the chance to play in an orchestra, perhaps for the first time.
An informal performance to friends and family will close the day, giving participants the experience of playing in the country’s leading youth orchestras.
The only condition is that participants must be aged between 11 and 18-years-old and must be at Grade 6 level or higher.
NYO Inspire Day is meant to do exactly that, inspire young musicians to excel at their instrument and fulfil their potential.
Sarah Alexander, Chief Executive and Artistic Director at NYO, explained: “Making music at the highest possible level gives our members, and everyone they engage with, a profound sense of who they are and what they can be.”
The scheme is funded by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Ms Alexander said this will help NYO members “meet and inspire more young people nationwide, passing on their own passion for making music to the next generation”.
NYO starts its spring residency at the Sage Gateshead on April 17th where players will explore folk music and how it has a role to play in old and new classical music.