Welcome to the
National Schools Symphony Orchestra
11th – 18th July 2021
Applications are now OPEN!
For more than 25 years, the National Schools Symphony Orchestra has provided intensive, high-quality orchestral experience for young players aged 9-19. Each course provides a stimulating and rewarding mix of individual coaching by expert tutors, playing in small ensembles, sectional and full rehearsals, and a final concert.
The annual courses of the National Schools Symphony Orchestra are held at Malvern College, where the outstanding facilities, along with its beautiful surroundings in the heart of Elgar country, have added greatly to the enjoyment of all course members – children and staff alike.
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PROJECT SUNRISE AND THE FUTURE
Thanks, and congratulations to the members of NSSO who submitted almost 200 audio and video files to Project Sunrise. Their virtual performance of the opening of Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss is available here. Thanks, also to our partners who helped realise the project: Steve Bingham at PartPlay who created the final mix and GoodMusic Publishing who provided scores and parts.
In current circumstances, arts and educational organisations, in the UK and beyond, have postponed or cancelled many of their events. At NSSO we have resolutely embraced change rather than either postponement or cancellation. For the wellbeing of our members, the staff and their families, the 2020 course will no longer be a meeting of over 300 musicians at Malvern College, but instead a three-month long Digital Celebration of our combined musical talent.
There will be interactive online activities – orchestra, chamber music, webinars, and multi-piano ensembles – ending with a Virtual Concert on what would have been the last day of the Malvern course. There will also be several extra NSSO Workshops for our members, at various UK locations in the autumn.
In 1930 Albert Einstein said I never think of the future. It comes too soon. After a quarter-century of providing an intensive high-quality orchestral experience for young players aged 9-19, NSSO will continue to do just that, in the heart of Elgar country and the superlative facilities of Malvern College. That experience, of living and making music together, is invaluable and irreplaceable, but we have thought of the future – and it will come soon! Details will be published at the end of our 2020 Digital Celebration.
For now, we continue to accept applications for membership of NSSO, to take part in a whole range of activities online, before we all meet again in 2021. Meantime, keep safe, keep in contact using [email protected] and keep making music.
John Madden
Artistic Director NSSO
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NSSO shortlisted for Best Classical Music Education Initiative!
This Music and Drama Education Excellence award, sponsored by Classic FM, honours an educational project which has used classical music in an innovative way, shown musical excellence and has had a positive impact on a significant number of participants.