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. 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
In late March 2020, when lockdown overtook the country, many arts and educational organisations, in the UK and beyond, postponed or cancelled most, or indeed all, of their events and activities. At NSSO we resolutely embraced change rather than postponement or cancellation and launched Project Sunrise with our partners GoodMusic Publishing and PartPlay. Midway through the audition cycle and ensembles not yet complete, our members still submitted almost 200 media files to create a virtual performance of the opening of Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss.
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NSSO’s Digital Celebration
As lockdown continued it was clear that the 2020 course could no longer be the annual meeting of more than 200 young musicians for a week at Malvern College. So, following the huge success of Project Sunrise, we launched a three-month long Digital Celebration of our combined musical talent.
We provided members with the opportunity and materials to take part in more virtual performances (supported by our tutors), chamber music, multi-piano ensembles and singing projects, as well as a prize competition each month. There was also support and encouragement from Nicola Benedetti, Vasily Petrenko and Sir Mark Elder.
The resulting five short films can now be viewed over on the Digital Celebration page. They offer an insight into the warm, inclusive spirit of NSSO, and all that we value about our engagement with young people – ensuring that everybody can contribute effectively and happily to successful music-making at their own level of ability and experience.
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Shortlisted for Best Classical Music Education Initiative 2020
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.