The National Children's Orchestra are offering the chance to 7-13 year olds to audition to be part of and play alongside their 2013 Orchestra.

1. 01934 418855
Registered Charity No. 803026 www.nco.org.uk

2. ALL ABOUT US
“What the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain offers our musical youth is
unrivalled in the UK. Whether working with a seven-year-old, new to the excitement
of ensemble playing, or with a 13-year-old, desperate for new musical challenges
– the NCO provides a unique orchestral experience. Not only do children gain
access to the very best level of tuition and performance opportunities, they also find
themselves in the company of other children who share the same passions as them.
The perfect mix of fun, friendship and phenomenal playing!”
Sir Simon Rattle CBE
We have five orchestras:
The NCO offers talented young musicians aged Main Orchestra
7-13, from all over the UK, unbeatable orchestral Under 13 Orchestra
training and performance opportunities – this is Under 12 Orchestra
your chance to be a part of it! Under 11 Orchestra
Training Orchestra (strings only)
Our residential courses combine exceptional musical tuition with a great deal of fun. Each
course culminates in a concert where you can show off your skills.
It’s amazing what you can learn on an NCO course – the There will be plenty of social
tutors who guide you through are the very best in the staff with you every step of
country, coming from conservatoires, specialist music the way to ensure your NCO
schools and leading national orchestras such as the journey is filled with fun, and a
Philharmonia Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra medically qualified nurse to look
of Wales. after you too.
We also offer Regional Orchestras for members of the NCO. Held monthly in four regions across
the country, these meetings are a brilliant chance for members of all ages to meet up with other
young musicians from their area before the residential courses.
To become a member of the NCO you must
apply to audition. All children aged 7-13 on
31 December 2012 are eligible to apply for a
place in one of our 2013 Orchestras. You don’t
need to choose which, if you’re successful we’ll
place you in the most appropriate Orchestra.

3. EVENTS IN 2013
Here are the exciting events you will be involved in if you become a member. Please
make sure you’re free for the dates which apply to your age group (age on 31 December
2012) – in most cases this is the Orchestra you’ll be placed in if you’re successful at
audition.
A
MAIN ORCHESTRPort Regis, Dorset
››NCO TIMETABLE
29 Mar–6 Apr
Spring residential course: 6 Apr
Leicester
Spring concert: De Montfort Hall, 19–27 Jul
ge, Berkshire
Summer residential course: Wellington Colle 27 Jul
Summer concert: The Barbican, London
31 Aug
Hall Birmingham
Special gala concert: Symphony 7–8 Dec
Powell House, London
Winte r non-residential course: Baden 8 Dec
Winter concert: Royal Festival Hall, London
UNDER 13 ORCHESTRA ol for Girls, Dorset
Sherborne Scho
30 Mar–7 Apr
Spring residential course: 7 Apr
gstoke
Spring concert: The Anvil, Basin 9–17 Aug
ergh School, Cumbria
Summer residential course: Sedb 17 Aug
Summ er concert: Leeds Town Hall 31 Aug
Hall Birmingham
Special gala concert: Symphony 7–8 Dec
Henry Wood Hall, London
Winter non-residential course: 8 Dec
Hall, London
Winter concert: Royal Festival
UNDER 12 ORCHESTRA
l course for the Under
a special additional Spring residentia
This year the NCO is introducing you to let us know in advance. Also
to attend – we just ask
12s. The course will be optional
for the Orchestra in summer.
new for 2013 is a public concert
7–12 Apr
Regis, Dorset
Spring residential course: Port 17–24 Aug
gham, Rutland
Summer residential course: Uppin 24 Aug
Summer concert: Town Hall Birmingham
31 Aug
Hall Birmingham
Special gala concert: Symphony
UNDER 11 ORCHESTRA , Dorset
e: Port Regis
23–30 Aug
Summer residential cours 31 Aug
Hall Birmingham
Special gala concert: Symphony
TRAINING ORCHESTRA Academy, Wiltshire
e: Wellington
23–30 Aug
Summer residential cours 31 Aug
Hall Birmingham
Special gala concert: Symphony
the right to cancel any course.
ficient numbers the NCO reserves
In the event that there are insuf
The Under 12 Orchestra will perform a concert for family and friends at the course venue, on the
last day of their Spring course. In summer, Training and Under 11 Orchestra will do the same.
All five Orchestras will perform together at Symphony Hall Birmingham on 31 August to
celebrate the NCO’s 35th anniversary.

4. THE AUDITIONS
Most people get nervous about auditions, but there’s no need to worry. Remember,
everyone else is in the same boat – everybody has to audition for a place each year, even
if they have been a member of the NCO before. A big part of the NCO experience is
about enjoyment, and we want that to happen right from the start, at the audition.
How much does it cost to audition?
This year we have a special rate of just £10, thanks to support from Youth Music.
What do I have to prepare?
Two pieces of music, up to five minutes each, which contrast in speed and style.
What else will I have to play? What, no scales?
There are two short pieces of sight reading. No. No scales, no singing and no aural tests.
How long will my audition last?
Usually up to 15 minutes. Harpists and percussionists are given extra time for setting up, so
their auditions last up to 30 minutes.
Do I audition for a specific Orchestra?
No. Our Principal Director of Music decides who is given a place in which Orchestra, based on
your ability and where you would best fit in.
Can I audition on piano? Can I audition on more than one instrument?
No, only on an orchestral instrument. Yes, but please submit an application form for each.
Please visit our website if you’re If the auditions are on the same date and at the same
unsure which these are. venue the charge is £5 per additional instrument.
How good do I have to be?
It depends on how old you are. You don’t have to have taken any grades, but here are some
examples of music each Orchestra played recently (which you can watch on our website or
YouTube channel) to give you an idea of the standard.
Main Orchestra: Under 13 Orchestra:
Bernstein, West Side Story Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5
Under 12 Orchestra: Under 11 Orchestra: Training Orchestra:
Arnold, Peterloo Bizet, Farandole Strauss, Pizzicato Polka
To check out standards of each Orchestra by instrument take a look at the grades list on our website.
Trombone and tuba players should be able to read bass clef; percussionists should be able to play tuned
percussion, timpani and snare drum.

5. We offer a number of venues around the country to make auditioning for the NCO as
easy as possible. Please visit our website to find out more about each venue – address,
directions, parking, etc.
Abingdon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Oct Llandovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nov
Birmingham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 & 4 Oct London. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10 Oct
Blandford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Oct Manchester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 & 7 Oct
Bushey*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-28 Oct Milton Keynes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Oct
Cambridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 & 28 Oct Nottingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Oct
Canterbury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 & 21 Oct Petersfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-30 Oct
Cardiff*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Sept & 7 Oct Plymouth*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Oct
Cheltenham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Oct Radyr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Oct
Crowthorne*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-24 Oct Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 & 16 Oct
Dulwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-24 Oct Richmond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 & 12 Oct
Edinburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Oct Sedbergh* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Oct
Felsted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 & 23 Oct Shrewsbury*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Oct
Gateshead* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Oct Tidworth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Oct
Hampstead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 16 & 19 Oct Wells* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 & 2 Nov
Leeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-29 Oct Weston-super-Mare. . . . . . . . . 11 Oct
* venues which are suitable for percussion auditions
We allocate audition slots on a first come, first served basis, so it’s best to submit your application
as soon as possible but by 30 September 2012 at the latest. We may be able to accept late
applications, but please contact Geraldine Jones, our Orchestral Manager, to discuss this.
Late applications may incur an additional administration charge.
For applicants from Northern Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands we are able to accept
auditions by video. Please contact Geraldine Jones to discuss before applying.

6. ACCESS FOR ALL
Fees & Funding
We aim to make joining the NCO as easy as possible for everyone, irrespective of financial
circumstances.
Bursaries
For those most in need, we offer a range of bursaries, to help meet the costs of joining the
NCO and travelling to courses and concerts. The bursaries operate on a sliding scale. Any
household with an annual income of up to £56,000 is eligible to apply for a bursary, subsidising
part of your membership fee. For households with an income of less than £28,000 we can
offer you a full bursary to meet the entire cost.
We send bursary application forms with offer letters following the auditions, which explain how
to apply in more detail. Further details can be found on our website.
Scholarships
Through the generosity of the Leverhulme Trust, we are
also able to provide 20 scholarships each year. You
can’t apply for these scholarships; they are awarded
at the discretion of the Principal Director of Music to
recognise outstanding performance at audition.
Membership Fees
The annual membership fee you pay depends on
the Orchestra you are invited to join, and covers all
your course expenses:
• For the 2012 Orchestras the course fees were
£765 for the three younger Orchestras and
£1495 for Under 13 and Main Orchestra.
• We hope to keep these rates the same or similar
for the 2013 Orchestras and can promise that
any increase will not be higher than the retail
price index (RPI). We will confirm the exact cost
if you are offered a place.
• The cost of Under 12 Orchestra membership will
rise proportionately if you decide to take part in
the additional Spring course.
Through fundraising activities, the NCO subsidises
all places to make them more affordable for you
– the fees are only about half of what it actually
costs.
Photos: Dwayne Senior, Alex von Koettlitz and John Mitchell

7. APPLICATION FORM
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS
First name _________________________________________________________ Surname___________________________________________________________
Gender______________________________________________________________ Date of birth
Age on 31 December 2012 Years Months
Instrument for audition___________________________________________ Approximate standard___________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ Postcode_ _________________________________________________________
Telephone number________________________________________________ Mobile number____________________________________________________
Email address
Which audition venue do you wish to attend? Please provide a second choice.
1st choice__________________________________________________________ 2nd choice_ _______________________________________________________
Preferred time of day (approximate and not guaranteed) _____________________________________________________________________________
Instrumental teacher’s name_ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teacher’s address____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ Postcode_ _________________________________________________________
Telephone number________________________________________________ Mobile number____________________________________________________
Email address
Teachers: if you want pupils to have adjacent auditions, please send applications together, with an explanatory note.
Do you play any other instruments?
______________________________________________________________________ Approximate standard___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ Approximate standard___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ Approximate standard___________________________________________
Where did you get this application form from?__________________________________________________________________________________________
If you are applying for the first time – where did you hear about the NCO? (please tick)
Instrumental teacher School Family/friend/relative
Other NYMO (please specify) Website (please specify) Advert (please specify)
Article (please specify) Music service (please specify) Other (please specify)
Specify_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Application form continued – please turn over

8. APPLICATION FORM
The NCO’s work is generously supported by various funders, including Youth Music, who require some anonymous
background data. The following information is collected for statistical purposes only and will not impact on your child’s
participation in the NCO.
Name of school attended _ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
What type of school is this? (please tick)
State school State-maintained specialist music school / performing arts college etc.
Independent school Independent music school Home school
Other (please specify)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you receive a scholarship for your full time education? Yes No
Do you board? Yes No
Which local authority do you live in?______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you receive musical tuition from any of the following sectors? (please tick all which apply)
Private Music services Centres for advanced training (CATs, eg junior music departments) State school
Ethnicity (please tick)
White White & Asian Black or Black British
White British Other mixed background Caribbean
White Irish Asian or Asian British African
Other White background Indian Other Black background
Mixed Pakistani Chinese or other ethnic groups
White & Black Caribbean Bangladeshi Chinese
White & Black African Other Asian background Other ethnic group
Do you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes No
If yes, please specify________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Completed forms and cheques (made payable to ‘NCO’) should be sent to:
Geraldine Jones, Auditions, NCO-GB, 57 Buckingham Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS24 9BG
Please ensure you include the following:
Completed application form (one for each instrument)
Audition fee*: £10 plus £5 per additional instrument (cheques should be made payable to ‘NCO’)
Signature of parent / guardian below.
Signature of parent / guardian____________________________________________________________ Date_________________________________________
Title (Mr/Mrs/etc)________________________ First name__________________________________ Surname________________________________________
* Non-refundable once an audition place has been booked.
The information you have supplied on this form will be stored on our database
and will be subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.