#ThisIsOurOrchestra
Conducted by Alice Farnham
With guest players from
Welcome to our concert preview
We can’t wait to perform for you!
Through our video resources and activities, you will:
Meet the orchestra and Artistic Lead
Hear some of the concert music
Meet the conductor
Meet the composers
What is an orchestra?
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Tuning up
Why do we tune?
At the start of every rehearsal and concert we tune up to the note A played on the Clarion and oboe.
This helps us get our instruments in tune so that when we play at the same time, the sounds blend together well.
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Other orchestra roles
There are lots of people involved in making and presenting orchestral music. Watch our videos to find out more about what a conductor, composer and Artistic Lead do!
Can you imagine yourself in one of these roles?
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Conductor
Composer
Artistic Lead
Sections of our orchestra
You’re about to meet the five groups of instruments that make up our orchestra
Our orchestra has lots of the same things as other orchestras, but in some ways, we’re a little bit different.
People can join our orchestra on nearly any instrument. This is helpful because it means some people who play an instrument that isn’t normally in an orchestra still get to be part of NOYO.
As you watch the videos about the sections in our orchestra, you will meet some of the musicians and instruments you’ll see on stage.
What instrument would you like to play in an orchestra?
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Strings
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Connor Cello
Watch Cass Viola
Watch Josh Violin
Watch Holli Harp
Watch Sophie Violin
Woodwind (also called Winds)
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Raena Saxophone
Watch Shoshana Bassoon
Watch Lilian Oboe
Brass
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Lubo Euphonium
Watch Maeve French horn
Percussion
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Una Percussion
Keys
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Oscar Piano
Electronics
Watch clips of NOYO musicians to find out more about their instrument
Watch Evie Clarion
On concert day, spot the conductor and musicians wearing their section tee shirts!
Our music
We’ve got a fun programme of music for you in this concert. Some of it has been written specially for NOYO and you will be the first people to hear it!
Experience world-premieres and classic pieces adapted for the National Open Youth Orchestra.
Get ready to discover the unique sound of our inclusive ensemble!
The music we play is specially arranged to ensure every musician can shine on their instrument!
Composers
There are some great videos from our three living composers available for you to watch, these will tell you a bit more about what it’s like writing music for NOYO.
The composer of the piece ‘Barriers’ used to play in NOYO on the Harmonica!
Join in!
Now that you’ve heard some of the music we’re going to play in our concert, we’ve got some ways for you to join in our concert so that you can also say…
Explore ways to join in through our activities
This is our orchestra!
The Seasons
Music can be used to paint pictures with sound, make us have big feelings and help us imagine places in stories.
Listen and create
Listen to clips of ‘Spring’, ‘Autumn’, and ‘Winter’.
Use the music to inspire paintings or drawings of how it makes you feel or what you imagine.
Teachers, check your resources for how to submit your students’ work.
How to listen
1. Eyes Open: Play videos of ‘Spring’, ‘Autumn’, and ‘Winter’ one at a time. Listen with your eyes open.
Did the music make you:
2. Eyes Closed: Listen again and, if you choose, shut your eyes.
Did you imagine anything in your head as you listened?
Your artwork could be shared on the big screens at the Barbican while NOYO plays!
NOYO musicians will perform this music live at the Barbican, bringing your visual stories to life.
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‘Barriers’
Music is for everyone! ‘Barriers’ celebrates the journey of every musician and their unique way of creating art.
About the piece
‘Barriers’ is a beautiful and lively piece of music. It’s called ‘Barriers’ because sometimes making music can be hard for musicians for lots of reasons so it’s important to celebrate when you overcome them!
Reflection
Can you think of a time you have overcome a barrier to do something you love doing?
Or a time you’ve helped someone else achieve a dream?
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The Clarion
Try to play the Clarion yourself!
Download the Clarion on your iPad or Windows device and try playing one of the patterns.
On concert day, visit the Clarion stand to try playing with head movement like Clarion soloist Alessandro Vazzana does, using a Quha Zono head mouse. Watch Alessandro play.
You can play the Clarion in any way you like! Use your head, hands, or however you like. With 13 different instrument sounds, the Clarion was developed with young disabled people so it’s very expressive but also really accessible. In 2024, it became the first electronic instrument recognised by ABRSM, the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music.
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Which famous tune is this? Find this Clarion pattern for the answer!
Clue: people probably sing this to you once a year!
Join in with ‘Juba Dance’
How to join in
Listen to the orchestra play the piece then find ways to join in. As you play along, see if you can play loudly!
Music is for everyone! Whether you're using an app or a physical instrument, your unique sound makes the orchestra special.
About the piece
‘Juba Dance’ is a lively piece of music that has lots of energy and is loud sometimes with lots of musicians playing at the same time.
This is our orchestra!
You could take a photo or record a video and share it with us.
We can't wait to see and hear what you've created!
What does your orchestra look and
sound like?
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Teachers, check your resources for how to submit a photo or video.
Find out more about the
National Open Youth Orchestra
Our orchestra is for 11-25 year-old disabled and non-disabled musicians with musical potential.
Once a year around March, you can apply to join one of our five Regional NOYO Ensembles in Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, London or Bournemouth. We also have Open Rehearsals, so you can come and meet us!
Find out more at noyo.org.uk
See you on
30th June at the Barbican Centre!