Page 3 | NCO 2026

Wishfulmasterchef · 2025-09-05T14:14:52+00:00

Is now the right time to start the conversation? NCO 2026 audition results?

chocolateisnecessary · 15/10/2025 12:49

U14s out. Am v relieved! Waiting on projects.

Cheeseandquince · 15/10/2025 12:45

Results out!! U12 place for DD! Shocked but v proud! Anyone else heard?

Ubertomusic · 14/10/2025 07:57

physgirl1 · 14/10/2025 07:09

First year auditioning here. He is only 10 so just for weekends this year on trumpet. Not sure if he has much chance as he is the lower end of the grade requirement.

Trumpets in projects were between grade 4 and 8 as far as I remember. Music was easy so a g4 trumpeter with a solid technique will have no problem playing it.

physgirl1 · 14/10/2025 07:09

First year auditioning here. He is only 10 so just for weekends this year on trumpet. Not sure if he has much chance as he is the lower end of the grade requirement.

Hatty999 · 11/10/2025 21:19

Under 12s were phenomenal too. It was hard to believe they were all only 12.

Ubertomusic · 11/10/2025 09:37

Thank you @patroclusandachilles !

patroclusandachilles · 11/10/2025 09:25

Ubertomusic · 10/10/2025 22:39

Both strings and brass. There were quite a few g4-5 brass players in projects but maybe the section becomes more balanced in residentials.

What did they play last year, out of interest?

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For the summer concert the U13s played -
Slava! (Bernstein)
Finlandia (Sibelius)
Jupiter (Holst)
‘Dawn’ and ‘Storm’ (Britten)
Fire (Khachaturiun)
Congo del Fuego (Marquez)

There were other modern pieces too that I hadn’t heard of and can’t remember! They were phenomenal.

patroclusandachilles · 11/10/2025 09:17

My DD started on her brass instrument at 10 and is now 13 and doing her G8. Tbf, my 9yo DS started violin two years ago and is doing G5 at Christmas. He originally wanted to play brass (like his dad and sister) but found brass much harder than violin because of the physicality. He was keen to play so took up
violin and has whizzed through.

patroclusandachilles · 11/10/2025 09:11

Doodlingsquares · 10/10/2025 22:33

I think kids can progress quite rapidly on brass. Mine was gd3 his first year in projects but by time was auditioning for u13 was comfortably playing gd7/8 pieces.

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I think this is very true. It’s the physicality and stamina that is hard and I think one of the reasons you don’t see 5 year virtuoso brass players in the same way you do on violin.

Ubertomusic · 10/10/2025 22:39

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 22:09

I’m not sure as my DD never did projects so I have no experience there. Does your child play brass?

Both strings and brass. There were quite a few g4-5 brass players in projects but maybe the section becomes more balanced in residentials.

What did they play last year, out of interest?

Doodlingsquares · 10/10/2025 22:33

Ubertomusic · 10/10/2025 21:45

That's interesting, there must be a huge jump from the projects then.

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I think kids can progress quite rapidly on brass. Mine was gd3 his first year in projects but by time was auditioning for u13 was comfortably playing gd7/8 pieces.

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 22:09

I’m not sure as my DD never did projects so I have no experience there. Does your child play brass?

Ubertomusic · 10/10/2025 21:45

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 21:35

There are quite a few in brass who have done G8 and are working on diploma. Most attend Junior departments. I don’t think G8 is uncommon across the orchestra and tbf, the playing was of an insane standard for their age range last year.

That's interesting, there must be a huge jump from the projects then.

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 21:35

There are quite a few in brass who have done G8 and are working on diploma. Most attend Junior departments. I don’t think G8 is uncommon across the orchestra and tbf, the playing was of an insane standard for their age range last year.

Ubertomusic · 10/10/2025 21:08

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 20:03

Also waiting here too. My DD has been in U12 and U13 main orchestra on brass and has applied for U14 this year. She’s made amazing friends and absolutely loved the residentials so is desperate to get in this year too. She’s taken G7 (distinction) and is taking her G8 at Christmas. She says the standard at U13 was really high and a lot had already done their G8 / diploma.

Lots of g8/diplomas in brass?

Hatty999 · 10/10/2025 20:55

Hoping the results are out soon. Waiting for U13s, did U12 last year and DC loved it.

patroclusandachilles · 10/10/2025 20:03

Also waiting here too. My DD has been in U12 and U13 main orchestra on brass and has applied for U14 this year. She’s made amazing friends and absolutely loved the residentials so is desperate to get in this year too. She’s taken G7 (distinction) and is taking her G8 at Christmas. She says the standard at U13 was really high and a lot had already done their G8 / diploma.

chocolateisnecessary · 10/10/2025 11:55

Waiting here too…

Cheeseandquince · 07/10/2025 11:09

Not too long now hopefully! @thirdfiddle your DD has done so well being successful in all the previous years. I hope she gets in again to finish it off in style!

I hope they don’t make us wait too long for the results! Though I’ve no expectations at all for my DD, it will be nice to know the outcome.

thirdfiddle · 07/10/2025 01:07

Taking a seat in the waiting room - DD hoping for u14 viola. She has done u12 and 13 and projects before that, she absolutely loves it. So fingers crossed for her and all your young people.

FWIW she reckons grade 6 or 7 quite normal for u12, but I don't know how good she is at telling. If they were grade 6 auditioning they could well be grade 7 by the summer course anyway.

Original poster

Wishfulmasterchef · 18/09/2025 08:18

Doodlingsquares · 17/09/2025 19:55

Some will describe themselves as 'grade 7' even if they are just working towards taking it.
My experience is there are absolutely grade 6-7 kids in u12 in less competitive sections but there are also a lot of kids on violin or cello already grade 8 or even diploma. However there are lots of violinists and im sure there will be kids sat further back in seconds that are not diploma level!

grade 8 or diploma wow

Now Hear This Rising Star GIF by GREAT PERFORMANCES | PBS

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Doodlingsquares · 17/09/2025 19:55

Some will describe themselves as 'grade 7' even if they are just working towards taking it.
My experience is there are absolutely grade 6-7 kids in u12 in less competitive sections but there are also a lot of kids on violin or cello already grade 8 or even diploma. However there are lots of violinists and im sure there will be kids sat further back in seconds that are not diploma level!

Cheeseandquince · 17/09/2025 13:25

Your child is doing brilliantly whatever the outcome! Strings seem super competitive but grade 6 played really well and then excerpts that rival kids who may on paper be grade 7/8 must give a good chance surely. At least there are lots of spaces for strings! I guess we have to wait and see, still a while to go for the results. It’s impossible to second guess. The moderators must know what they’re looking for :-)

Original poster

Wishfulmasterchef · 17/09/2025 12:50

YouTube studio analytics are great! I just noticed if you browse it on a laptop or computer rather than on your phone, you can see so much more information. it tells you which video has been viewed at when, as long as you submitted your video the right way and not open to the general public.

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Original poster

Wishfulmasterchef · 17/09/2025 12:36

it is grade 6 but it is one of the strings, where all the other applicants are most likely to be around grade 7/8 😅

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