NCO 2018

Hi Doubleup, he's year 7, birthday in February. I thought NCO only went up to 13, although I did wonder why they'd have a U13 and main orchestra, if that was the case.
His teacher has coached for NCO and moderated the audition tapes in previous years, so we know he isn't as experienced as many of the children that apply.

Hi Floottoot, he'd have 2 more attempts - for U13 and Main. Is he year 6 or 7?

I'm late to the party, but I've only just joined MN, having lurked on the secondary education board for a few months now.
My son auditioned for NCO for the first time this session. He's 11 so hoping for U12' s on cello, but has only been playing 3 years and only grade 5; reading this thread, I've realised he has no real hope of getting in. However, working towards the audition did wonders for his playing (his teacher told us he's made 6 month's progress in a month) and he enjoyed playing to the panel, despite his initial nerves, so it's been a really positive experience.
Bit sad that he will only have one more chance to audition - NCO sounds like a life-changing experience.

Mine didn't get asked more than he was supposed to do, and he didn't get any nice comment for his pieces neither. Hahaha...

My 7 year old was very definitely only asked for one line, hahaha. They didn't suggest she carry on at all.... but I'm not taking that as a bad thing!
Though she'd have happily managed the first three (the steward showed me it after she'd done it).

Glad it went well Taggie . I think that's everyone- now the long wait !!

All done! DS2 played as well as he could have, which is all I can ask. One of the panel said, 'very beautiful playing', after Liebesleid and asked if he could play Liebesfreud (which I assume was a joke as Liebesfreud is grade 8+...). I am pleased for DS2 as he has worked so hard to get Liebesleid right. The Vivaldi was ok - a few smeared semi-quavers and one missed shift but he recovered well.

To add to the sight reading info - DS2 was asked to prepare the first two lines - he is going for U10s violin. I managed to glimpse the music as I left the room, and it looked manageable, a couple of tricky rhythmic features (triplets and semiquavers) and one simple accidental. No shifts. It was in G major. He told me that he made a silly rhythmic mistake in the unseen sight reading though. Hoping that won't count against him too much as the prepared sight reading was fine.

Is everyone done now? I assume the audition season is pretty much over.

Little one (aged 8) was asked to definitely do line 1 but was told she could do more if she wanted. She chose to just do line 1 haha!

Well done to everyone for auditioning - it's a big deal and takes lots of courage! DS auditioned for mains this year (for those that don't remember, I haven't posted for a few weeks), so obviously had to play the whole thing! I asked him whether he was asked to play to the end last year, when he was auditioning for U13s - he was, and he did it (he loves sightreading - odd child). He was given a place in U13, which we were very happy with.

Nigglenotes - you think a month is a long time to wait - those of us with early auditions (DS was in the first week) have TWO whole months . He has the Winter concert still to come though, as well as regional concert, so still plenty to think about!

With very few exceptions, it's usually just unusually able Under 13s, who then might be asked to fill Main. Presumably they have to fill the oldest orchestra first, and work down...

As a new auditionee, DD was not asked to play beyond what was asked.

Am obviously not mulling over the badly out of tune piano that slightly threw DD on violin. At all. Much.

A month is an awfully long time.

Will concentrate on DD2, 7, who is now on Violin Star Two, and slightly distressed by G Major and second fingers back. Which seems completely unreasonable when she is now confident about 2nd finger position for A/D major. She really is quite put out about it.

DD didn't mention anything about the sight-reading, other than it was fine... Hmm, wonder what that means?

Stringchild - it sounds like a general confusion then, although it would seem that all respective offspring have deflected it as nicely as possible!
And so the wait begins...

Yes I'm sure they will. By last year I actually meant this year! We haven't even finished the NCO year yet as the regional concert isn't until next week; I seriously need to stop looking so far ahead!

Polly hi glad it wasn't just ds then . I'm sure they'll sort it all out when they review the films

Hello everyone, another late-comer here, but very interested to read this thread...mine auditioned yesterday, presumably for Under 13s as he had been in Under 12s last year and is 12. The steward asked him to prepare three lines but was then asked in the audition to go to the end of the piece, at which point he told them he had only been told to prepare the first three lines. He was also given transposition for the unseen sight-reading. Definitely seems to be a common feature...

Ah - that makes sense

Michael there are two assessors at each venue for the whole day. They write reports and mark performances on their musical merit (they tend not to comment on the ins and outs of technique!) but they are NOT the panel making decisions about who gets in, or not. That is left up to experts in each instrument, who will watch the videos side by side to check the marking is consistent, and make the selections later on.

Enjoy ds missed his last regional rehearsal as he had an AYM course need to remind him to practice before the concert next month - there's no where to hide when you play trumpet it's quite loud and noticeable if you make mistakes !!

Totally with you trumpet boy - I give him all the talk about "it is only a school informal concert;it's for experience; just enjoy it" etc and then sit in the audience with heat pouring up and down my body and my nails dig into my hands. How sports parents get through it watching matches weekly I don't know.

Ds2 is in the London regional so we are slugging up to Highgate this afternoon for the penultimate practice before the concert. Having. Spent 13 hours yesterday driving down from north scotland I am dragging my heels a little!

Schooling the regional orchestras meet about once a month and are for all ages who live in an area who are either offered a full NCO or just regionals place . They all prepare for concerts around November time each year. Hi Michael !! Ds also had a bit of a weird time with the sightreading- who knows what they were thinking he was also asked to play to the end - but declined as he hadn't been asked to prepare it. Then he also got some transposition which other under 13 potentials didn't ( he just had an unlucky day I think) he played unaccompanied I can't play piano but could never be in the same room as him at audition I had to stand outside( and also do this for exams) so I can't hear and then stress about things!! At the end of the day it's his performance not mine and I don't want to form my own opinion of how it went if he's happy then that's fine by me ( whether he gets in or not) . I also hate going to watch him perform but can't get out of that one

( if my DS does not get in to NCO?) What are the regional orchestras ?

Wafflenose - I have t admit that I have very mixed feelings about his accompaniments having got so far out of my reach - whilst in abstract I would love to know what went on, I don't think I could stand the stress of actually witnessing the performance , let alone participate in it. All that stomach muscle clenching as they reach the tricky run, or dying inside as they yet again miss those dynamics ! I am filled with awe for parents who tackle it.

Does anyone know how many examiners they have at each session? Ds2 is a horn player and was heard by a horn player and another brass player (trombone I think) which seemed awfully convenient (or not, possibly!) but I had a good peek at the list and there were only two other brass players up for that half of the auditions that day, so presumably these people were otherwise assessing strings etc?