How to join an Orchestra
If you are interested in joining any of our orchestras please feel free to email us at any time.
Entry to the orchestras is by audition but in general members of the training orchestra are grades 3+ for Wind and Brass, 2+ for Strings; the intermediate is grades 5+ for Wind and Brass and 4+ for Strings; and the youth orchestra above grade 7 for Wind and Brass and above 6 for Strings.
Current vacancies 2011 - 12 :
NYO - Senior Orchestra
Violin
Viola
NYIO - Intermediate Orchestra
Viola
Double Bass
Bassoon
French Horn
Tuba
NYTO - Training Orchestra
Violin
Viola
Double Bass
Bassoon
French Horn
Trombone
Trumpet
Oboe
If you play one of the above instruments at the required standard, then do get in touch with us and we will audition you as soon as we can. If you play an instrument for which there isn't an immediate vacancy but you are an external candidate, we would still like to hear from you. It may be possible for you to attend a rehearsal to get a taste of what we do and get advice from Tutors.
If you are interested in joining any of our orchestras please feel free to email us at any time.
More info about the annual audition process......
The NYO is an independent Orchestra and a Registered Charity which depends on subscriptions and voluntary donations for its activities. We receive no local authority or state funding. As far as our funds allow we will offer financial support to young musicians who would otherwise be unable to enjoy the facilities that we offer. For this we rely on individuals and corporate bodies to support us. Would you consider offering support to a promising young musician? Alternatively you can be a sponsor for the Orchestra.
Orchestra members are able to obtain discounts at various music shops in and around Nottingham - see the Sponsors page for details
Bursary Application
The orchestra wishes to ensure that any musician of the required standard has the opportunity of joining in. Financial support by means of a bursary is available to help those who are unable to afford all or part of the membership fees. The award of a bursary is means tested to ensure an equitable distribution of monies available. Information provided by parents is kept on a totally confidential basis and is made available to only the Honorary Treasurer and the Chairman who make up the bursary awards committee. If you are interested please complete a downloaded application form and return it to the Honorary Treasurer either by e-mail or by post. The decision of the bursary awards committee will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into. If you wish to apply, please do so as early in the orchestral year as possible.
We also recognise that the cost of residential courses and the main orchestral tour can also be a financial strain. If help in respect of any of these is required, please, in the first instance, make reference to the administrator of the orchestra concerned who will liaise with the Honorary Treasurer.
How can I help?
A small voluntary committee, elected at the annual meeting each year, is responsible for organising the orchestras and all the rehearsals, concerts and tours etc. It's a massive job and we depend on the support and help of parents to make everything run smoothly. Here are some examples of the jobs that need parental support:
- Helping out on residential weekends
- Assisting on concert days - selling tickets or programmes, supervising younger children
- Sorting music parts after concerts
- Helping to load and unload percussion at the Albert Hall and the High School before, but particularly after, concerts
- Being the contact person for advance tickets sales for a concert
- Being available to "cover" at rehearsals on a Thursday evening when the regular committee member is unable to be there
- Finding advertisers for our concert programmes (and overseeing billing and payments)
- Distributing concert publicity in your area and placing ads in local (free?) newspapers
- Organising fundraising events
- Helping at busking sessions
- Running a tuckshop on Thursday evenings
- Finding possible sponsors
- Setting up a database of former members of NYO with a view to inviting them all to become regular patrons ( a good potential source of funds now that we probably have around 2000 ex-members)
If you think you could spare some time during the year to do one or more of these tasks, please contact Paula Watt (0781 463 7571 or email). We will be very, very grateful!
