NYOS Training Ensembles are four non-auditioned summer courses focusing on learning repertoire, listening skills, musicianship, audition preparation and having fun. This year, NYOS is offering each two-day course for a lower price of £65 per player.
The courses are designed for players between the age of 8 and 14 working on Grade 2 material upwards for brass instruments and Grade 3 material upwards for wind, strings and harp.
Working on Zoom with individuals and groups, course directors and instrumental tutors will deliver online sessions to help young people develop their musical skills. NYOS has spent the last year developing digital projects to keep promising young musicians in Scotland playing throughout the pandemic.
Launched in 2015 in response to a high demand for high quality instrumental training for young musicians, the Training Ensembles are supported by funding from Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative.
An NYOS spokesperson said: ‘Many young musicians across Scotland do not have the opportunity to play with other instrumentalists, especially if they live in a rural or remote community or play an instrument that is less commonplace like the harp, tuba or double bass.
‘The values of studying musicianship or learning to play an instrument from an early age have been well documented. These include physical coordination and motor control, integrating mental and physical activity, being expressive, using creativity and imagination, building self-belief and confidence, and nurturing emotional intelligence.
‘This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to come together and make music with their peers, and we have found [that] the increased accessibility of online sessions and bringing together those from the most rural areas and the inner cities has had real benefits.’
Strings Training Course: 26-27 July.
Harp Training Course: 26-27 July.
Wind Training Course: 28-29 July.
Brass Training Course: 30-31 July.
Applications close on 31 March. More information and the application forms can be found here.
Thanks to funding from Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative and other trusts and foundations, bursaries of up to 100 per cent are available for participants who find it difficult to meet the costs of membership fees. Each case is assessed individually, and all applications are treated in the strictest confidence.
To find out more about financial support, visit www.nyos.co.uk/classical-applicants/financial-assistance/
The NYOS mission is to ensure that our work is open to young people from all backgrounds and circumstances each year and that no young person misses out on our life-changing projects due to financial circumstances.
