National Open Youth Orchestra

All National Open Youth Orchestra musicians have come through the ranks of five regional NOYO Ensembles, which are delivered through major partnerships:

• Birmingham NOYO Ensemble, in partnership with Services For Education, B:Music and Midlands Arts Centre
• London NOYO Ensemble, in partnership with Barbican and Guildhall School of Music & Drama
• Bournemouth NOYO Ensemble, in partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
• Bristol NOYO Ensemble, in partnership with Bristol Beacon
• Cardiff NOYO Ensemble, in partnership with Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and BBC National Orchestra of Wales

They premiere original music written for them by cutting-edge composers and new arrangements of well-known pieces, reworked for the National Open Orchestra’s diverse group of musicians and instruments. Its sound innovatively blends acoustic, electronic and accessible instruments - some of which are not traditionally found in orchestras, such as the electric guitar or the accordion, and others unfamiliar, such as the LinnStrument, the Seaboard RISE or the ClarionTM, which some musicians play with eye or head movement.

Since its launch in 2018, the National Open Youth Orchestra and its partners have successfully established a programme for young disabled musicians to develop their skills at an advanced level, offering accessible ensemble practice and performance opportunities in five regions. Alongside young musicians, the orchestra has pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music, inspiring composers with a new range of instrument sounds and showing it could help widen audiences for contemporary classical music through relaxed performances.

In 2023-24, there are 42 musicians rehearsing in NOYO Ensembles. Together, our mission is to show that combining high levels of inclusion and musical excellence isn’t just possible, but the way forward.