On May 23rd we had a busy evening for our percussionists from all three orchestras plus the Jazz orchestra. The first half of the evening was a workshop focusing on orchestral percussion and technique given by our percussion tutor Jackie Kendle. In the second half NYO's percussionists joined NYIO, Nottingham Youth Intermediate Orchestra, for a Samba Percussion session with Bloco Transcultural - Nottingham's new Samba school.

The orchestral percussion workshop covered multiple skills and key aspects needed for good orchestral percussion technique. NYO's three percussion tutors assembled snare drums, multiple tambourines, cymbals, two bass drums and two sets of timpani. Students started off with snare drum rhythms before moving on to the varied timbral qualities and techniques that are possible on a tambourine. Jackie illustrated this with a short recorded extract of a famous piece of orchestral music. She then brought everything together with her own composition 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' for percussion ensemble where the students played all the assembled percussion instruments.

The Samba Workshop increased volume levels with instruments and essential ear plugs for all members of NYIO. Bloco Transcultural introduced everyone to the percussion instruments in the 'Bloco' with brief guidance on their names, timbres and roles. Then the orchestral musicians were introduced to the layered rhythmic patters needed for the groove with the various instrument sections given clear instructions to join in and out of the overall sound. The session ended with the creation of an intro, samba-reggae main groove, with musical breaks and outro.

It was a very upbeat evening which hopefully gave our non-percussion instrumentalists a fun taste of being a part of the rhythm section.