NCO - what does the experience offer? Options

[listentothemelody]

It seems from their webite that the NCO offers a good musical experience for children who are able to get on to the programme.

Does anyone have experience of the NCO and what does the opportunity really give a child?

[Capriccioso]

It seems from their webite that the NCO offers a good musical experience for children who are able to get on to the programme.

Does anyone have experience of the NCO and what does the opportunity really give a child?

The NCO gives a great opportunity to a child to play in a good standard orchestra with other young musicians of a similar age and standard and play great music. It's fun but hard work; quite tough to get into, there's a lot of competition, and it's hard to have to re-audition every year for a place in the next orchestra, although it's an introduction to how competitive the music world is once you start achieving those kinds of standards. Regional orchestras are also very good, run approx once a month apart from during the holidays when they have the courses, and regionals are open to anyone who has been a member, whether or not they have successfully reauditioned.

My daughter plays violin and viola and is doing her second course with the NCO this summer (U12s). She loves her music and already does a lot of orchestral and ensemble playing, mainly with our county orchestra which she loves, and which we are very lucky to have as the standard is very high. Although she enjoyed her first NCO course, and got a real confidence boost from having gained a place, she found it overly intensive and ultra competitive (and she is used to lots of playing/practise and competition!) although she did make some good friends and she did benefit from it musically.

We are torn next year between reauditioning for NCO or concentrating on the county orchestra, which is probably of a higher standard although most of the other players are much older. It also costs around 1/3 of the NCO fees which is another attraction! We will see after the U12s course!

[jcassell]

We avoided NCO because of the re-audition issue, which is very hard on friendships. Instead, we do Pro Corda, the chamber music residential school, and the local county orchestras which has been a great mix in early teenage years. I think local orchestras are really important for teenagers.

It seems from their webite that the NCO offers a good musical experience for children who are able to get on to the programme.

Does anyone have experience of the NCO and what does the opportunity really give a child?

The NCO gives a great opportunity to a child to play in a good standard orchestra with other young musicians of a similar age and standard and play great music. It's fun but hard work; quite tough to get into, there's a lot of competition, and it's hard to have to re-audition every year for a place in the next orchestra, although it's an introduction to how competitive the music world is once you start achieving those kinds of standards. Regional orchestras are also very good, run approx once a month apart from during the holidays when they have the courses, and regionals are open to anyone who has been a member, whether or not they have successfully reauditioned.

My daughter plays violin and viola and is doing her second course with the NCO this summer (U12s). She loves her music and already does a lot of orchestral and ensemble playing, mainly with our county orchestra which she loves, and which we are very lucky to have as the standard is very high. Although she enjoyed her first NCO course, and got a real confidence boost from having gained a place, she found it overly intensive and ultra competitive (and she is used to lots of playing/practise and competition!) although she did make some good friends and she did benefit from it musically.

We are torn next year between reauditioning for NCO or concentrating on the county orchestra, which is probably of a higher standard although most of the other players are much older. It also costs around 1/3 of the NCO fees which is another attraction! We will see after the U12s course!

[barncottagecat]

My daughter did a year of NCO - last year she was in the U13s as a violinist. The purple patches (the difficult bits they send to practise beforehand) were very tricky and challenging, but in a good way. After the first course she was in absolute agony from having played so much to such intensity, but by the second course she was used to it. Musically she loved it. For her though, socially the lack of age mix wasn't satisfactory as she is used to mixed age courses and orchestras and though she had made some quite good pals she decided not to re-audition. She was also irritated that the pastoral staff were very strict. However, she's moaned on several occasions that I should've made her re-audition...

It gave her a real taste of just how hard you have to work as a musician, the sectional tutors were excellent and I think overall she gained a lot from the experience. It is expensive, but for the U13s and Main there are 2 courses, and there was a christmas 3 day event too (not sure if they still do this). This year she had a wonderful time at NSSO instead.

[listentothemelody]

It really does sound like a good experience for a very musical child. The exposure and challenge of a high standard of playing by children of similar ability sounds good.

I think daughter could do with an experience like that to rekindle her joy and enthusiasm for playing!

[a mum]

NCO was a wonderful experience for our daughter who plays the violin and played with them in the U13 and Main Orchestra. An opportunity to perform in some excellent venues around the country, excellent coaching and very high level of music. It was very intense but there was plenty of time to socialise and 'hang-out' with friends. She made some really good friends and matured and developed a lot as an individual and as a musician, becoming so much more independent in all ways. It gave her a real sense of pride in her music-making and made her realise how much she loved music.

I agree that the pastoral staff is strict and there is a certain NCO way but it suited her and us, as we could be confident that they were being looked after, which wasn't our experience on some other music courses that she'd been on. They 'retire' at the end of the Main Orchestra course, when in a way, she was ready to move on from the NCO so it was good timing. It can be quite competitive too, but then music always is, especially in some instrumental sections more than others, so it's good for them to be exposed to that within a caring environment, and learn how to cope with it in a sensible and positive way, if they are serious about music.

I would certainly recommend it.

[listentothemelody]

I am minded to enter her if she would like to, however I would like her to have a decent chance at audition (she's 9).

Have not discussed it with teacher and wonder by the time she starts lessons after holidays if realistically there's enough time to prepare.

[FullofWind]

I am minded to enter her if she would like to, however I would like her to have a decent chance at audition (she's 9).

Have not discussed it with teacher and wonder by the time she starts lessons after holidays if realistically there's enough time to prepare.

The answer to that last comment depends on her instrument and grade. I have known children to be offered places at the regional courses even if they are not accepted onto the full courses so it is always worth applying.