does everyone get e-mails? even the ones who don't get in? for some reason I thought it was done by letter. thanks
well done Claudia. which orchestra are you in?

I was told on Friday that they would only send letters. I asked for an email because we are moving house this week but they said no as there policy could not be changed for an individual. Seems odd!

The email came out of the blue!

Thanks Pen and Chris H.

We were notified by letter last time when daughter had a place, no idea they were emailing this year. I think Claudia has a place in the U13s. We are waiting for an U12s Yes/No - the waiting is doing me in! I had convinced myself that we weren't too bothered either way, but I was wrong! Only upside is that if daughter doesn't get a place, she has just been invited to the County Youth Orchestra (which she has wanted to do for years!), and the summer course would clash with the U12s course.
Hurry up NCO and put us out of our misery!!

Also waiting for Under 12s and Main- although the Under 12s is the really really hoped for one as older child not so bothered!

Luckily I have to go out soon so will not be able to keep obsessively checking emails and Forum to see if anyone else has THE EMAIL!

Edit: Just had near heart failure - email with "Audition" in the title, but turned out to be from son's cello teacher about next weeks RAM audition..... more stress!

It was easier when I thought it was a letter because I knew I couldn't get it until I had gone back to the old house, but now I'm obsessively checking too!

Ha! Welcome to my world

Well done Claudia

Thanks Pixie and Dulcet.

Well, one letter has arrived- a no for the Main orchestra which is completely fine as I'm not sure I could have persuaded her to do it if it was a yes. She is Gd 8 but her heart isn't completely in it and I'm sure that came across in the audition. She will probably be relived, although I wanted her to do it as a last-ditch attempt to enthuse her about music. it could have all backfired though so probably for the best. But where is her sister's letter?!!!!

i was hoping for letter either way this morning but no post as yet - i think probably the postman is on strike as well as the schools. so frustrating. don';t want to call nco as i am sure they have hundreds of calls. message to claudia mum: did you ask for an e-mail re the result? just curious. thanks

After obsessively checking my emails all yesterday THE letter arrived this morning -

Violaboy is in the U11s !!! YIPPEE.

Well done Claudia. Sorry about the Main Purple Sam. And good luck everyone else!

Phew - got to let it sink in now!

postman just arrived!! my daughter got place in u11 - she will be so excited. good luck everyone else.

Well done Violaboy - YAY - well deserved !!!

Sorry about the main for your eldest PurpleSam........... hope your other letter turns up soon!!!

Praying that our postman is not on strike today, I don't think we can take another day of not knowing. No idea what is going on this year, I thought that Main weren't notified until after this weekends concert?! Under 13s seem to have been the first, as daughters friend in U13s had letter yesterday. Would be nice if they organised their notifications a bit so as not to prolong the stress!

Congratulations viola boy and pen

Very well done - hope she enjoys it!!!

(runs up road to track down postman ..........!!)

Sorry about the news purplesam. Is the other letter for U12's and it hasn't turned up yet. I'm going home tonight for one night and I was hoping it would be there!

Viola mum, fantastic news. Your son is an absolute star and he really deserved his talent to be noticed!

Well it seems that Under 12s not released yet if that's what we're both waiting for, Cap! Tomorrow, then...

Congratulations Pen, celebrations all round so far!

(feeling very nervous)

NOOOOOOO!!!!!

And MNW, also waiting for U12s. At least none of us have heard, but would be good if all were released at the same time.

And I am especially nervous now have read my eldest's report; so many good things were said but they were very tough on tone quality in the pieces and wanted more dynamics and vibrato in the sightreading! But maybe standards for Main orchestra are astronomically high. Hoping U12s more achievable.

BB said his reed was failing half way through the second piece. I'm going to get OH to phone as we are in a new house tomorrow and I don't know where the letter is going!

Thanks everyone.

Well done Pen's DD. What does she play? Will she be going to the regionals? We'll be at the South Easterlies I think! Or maybe London, not sure now!

Hope all the others turn up tomorrow. I had a weird dream about DS' letter last night so I can understand the stress!

So glad to have some backup on here, if I didn't know that you were all still waiting too we would have assumed the worst by now! Seems a bit thoughtless to send notifications at a different time when two children in family are waiting for a result!
Main orchestra standard is so high, hoping U12s is more realistic! Not convinced daughter will be auditioning next year, especially as she now has the unexpected option of the county orchestra courses which she has always wanted to do (and it's 1/3 the price!!)

I think U13's price is very high too!

And for U13s there are two courses to pay for as well instead of the one summer one for U12s. Seems unnecessarily high to me, our county orchestra costs ?200 for a 6 day residential course which runs at New Year, Easter and Summer, all 3 cheaper together than one NCO course! And the same very high standard.

I think BB has had a rejection. His letter was sent out first class yesterday so it will be at the house today when I return home. If no other under 12 received one then it's probably because his is a no.. They also said they are emailing applicants but their Internet system collapsed yesterday and it's still not up and running.

What makes you think it's a rejection - you never know!!! We are still waiting for the post, it's never here before 11:30 but is late today of all days............

Yes, congratulations to you both, and also to Claudia. For those still waiting to hear, I hope you get good news soon.

Thanks Berkshire Mum and Big Congratulations Pen and VB! Commiserations Purplesam but hope the comments are helpful nevertheless. Ours certainly were when Claudia failed to get into the Under 11s before.

I know you don't need to know anymore Pen but in case useful to anyone else, no we didn't ask for an email or have any contact to them at all, it just came. Still no letter though although don't know if postman has been or not. Our deliveries are terribly random these days.

Fingers crossed for those waiting to hear.

Postman has just been (record late for him!) and THE LETTER was with him........

Very relieved and and happy to find out that daughter has a place in the U12s playing viola..... and a lovely audition report to go with it

More good news! Well done to your daughter, Capriccioso!

Thank you! Fingers crossed for everyone else still waiting!

Well done Capriccioso DD.

I can't take much more of this!

Thank you - really hope your letter with good news is waiting for you later!

First class is a good sign, seem to recall First class for YES and Second class for NO! Good luck anyway.

Well done to little Capriccioso!

Our postman has been and gone again without leaving a letter so am guessing that the emails were for the ones they didn't get to post on time.

MNW - fingers crossed for when you get home!

Well done, everyone! brilliant results so far! Have just told my eldest the result as was waiting for her sister to go out in case it was awkward, and she said 'Thank goodness for that! I really didn't want to do it', so at least she is happy. And it's helped me as well because I can really see that no matter what a child's raw ability, it has to be mixed with passion and commitment to be properly fulfilled. She has that passion and commitment to dancing, and even though she's not as outstanding a dancer as she could be a musician, she is very good and apparently has quite enough talent to dance professionally if she wanted to, which she does! So having done what I can to encourage her music, I will now step back and let he pursue her own dream!

That's great then, happy outcome and she can do something that she has a real passion for! Best of luck to her, sounds like a very talented young lady!

I don't know what BB wants from his music. He has never been bothered if he gets into orchestras/choirs and is not bothered about the NCO. But he was desperate to go to Purcell and cried after his audition as he thought it went badly - he's never cried over anything like that or wanted something so much. Maybe he just wants to be surrounded by musical people. I think he assumes that he will be one of the more advanced in a group and he hates that as he doesn't like to stop and wait until another student catches up. Of course it's ok for other students to have to wait for him! if he gets into the NCO, he'll be one of the least able so hopefully he will enjoy it. One things for sure, he'll tell me at the first possible opportunity if he doesn't!

my daughter plays the flute and i am sure she will want to do the regional orchestra too. we are in london.
i read that we get a list of all the people who accept a place which should be good for perhaps making a few friends before the course. good luck mnw i am sure he will get a place.

Does anyone know where the London regional orchestra takes place?

Baden Powell House normally, which is next to the Nat Hist Museum.

Thanks MNW.

well done Viola Boy- great news!






Well done daughter of Pen!




Well done DD of Capriccioso! Great news!




I so understand that! My DD is fairly talented and enjoys playing but she doesn't adore it! She adores gymnastics (usually- apparently from when being shouted at). I make her go to county orchestra and she does sort of enjoy it- but moans all the time! NCO would be just one step too far!

Commiserations, purplesam, but very glad that your daughter is happy with the situation - hope the other letter comes soon and brings good news.


Excellent news, VM! Well done him!


again - and well done her!


And again we say !

Congratulations guys.
all round, I think.

We'll save you some MNW.

Er...."Boast not of the future" TDM!

In fact you may have to save the whole bottle for me if he doesn't get in!

E-mail from the NCO this evening- then opened to find Under 11s newsletter! What thoughtful timing!