Audition for National Childrens Orchestra 2018

[Greenstick]

Is it worth my daughter auditioning for the NCO? She is 12 and about to take her grade 5 violin. Obviously, (as you’ll be quick to point out!) she is not as advanced as most of the posters in previous threads I’ve read on this subject (kids age 10 on grade 8 etc) but she makes a very nice sound and although we’ve hardly pushed her she gets merits/distintions for her grade exams. She’s also grade 6 piano, but she will only audition on violin. She’s just a normal child with lots of other interests and is certainly not a child prodegy. Is she going to be (or feel) out of her depth here?

[Greenstick]

• sorry - prodigy

[horseymum]

Hi, there are loads of knowledgeable people on the extra curricular music thread but here is the guide for standards from the NCO website www.nco.org.uk/join-in/can-i-join-nco-
It would suggest that for under 13s the declared grades are about 6-8 for violin but I don't know how accurate this is in practice. Maybe worth asking in the September thread as it is quite busy. Sounds like she is doing pretty well, a nice tone is important. Hope she finds a suitable group, playing in a big orchestra is a fantastic experience.

[Eroica]

When was she 12?
Realistically, unless she's amazing and just hasn't sat the grades, she is unlikely to get into U13 on a violin. I'm afraid the competition for violin is ridiculously tough.
Another instrument, sure, G5 is fine- however, many will be G8!

[Eroica]

And the children are half and half- those that live, breathe, sleep music, to the exclusion of all else, and those that play alongside all the many other things they enjoy. Some do it purely because they like the social aspect of an orchestra.

[Greenstick]

Thanks for advice. We’ll give it a go anyway - nothing ventured nothing gained! She’s surprised us before...

[Eroica]

She may be offered a regional even if she doesn't make main U13s, which will be excellent experience.
They're not looking purely at what people have achieved in exams, it is about their interpretation more.
Good luck!

[Greenstick]

Regionals would be fine by us! I hadn’t even heard of that. I’ll look it up. Thanks ++.

[Eroica]

There are quite a few different ones- London, Manchester, Cambridge, somewhere SW, that I want to say Weston-super-Mare, but is probably Wells
Also a more northerly one, but I'm not sure where- it will be on their website though, it's pretty comprehensive.