NCO 2018

[stringchild]

The new annual thread for those interested and/or auditioning! Ask questions, update your news - lots of nco parents on board and those hoping to be :)

It would be nice to get the results today while DD is still feeling great about her g5 theory result; so if it's a "no" she won't be too upset..

I'm not even checking emails now, just this thread.
Aaaaargh!

Everytime someone comments on here I think there must be news! Y'all keep getting my hopes up!

Last year we heard on the 7th. Given that was via second class post I was expecting the results to be released by now... I wish there had been a definite date for result to be sent rather than first or second week of December!

Agree, Bassclef - the only reason to indicate dates is so people know what to expect. Bit pointless is it's then a vague expectation - they may as well have said nothing and just sent the emails as and when. If everyone is going to get them at the same time, one date shouldhave been given, not 2 weeks!

Maybe some one braver than me should phone up and ask putting us all out of our misery!

I think it was 11th the year before... not stressing yet
Has everyone got lots of lovely Christmas concerts to drive their musicians to attend?

eroica 8 and an exam before the end of term... my head is hurting with remembering what's when and what rehearsals mean she can't go to this or has to leave early for that!

I don't think the NCO will appreciate phone calls one single bit. Potentially just a few more days... let's just be patient. (I still think today, but will guess again if wrong).

Painful isn't it... I'm waiting for news on a £350K grant application on my work account, and NCO on my personal account. Guess which I am refreshing every 5 minutes!

My theory is that they will spend this week double checking their new IT system - working out how they are going to ensure that the right results go to the right people. Also, there was a hint in the email about the feedback survey that they were going to tell everyone at the same time. So I reckon next Thursday!

Right - back to the refresh button then

I'm another one constantly refreshing this thread rather than checking my emails... I hope one of us is checking our emails though

I just searched through the last 3 years to see what dates I received letters:

5th Dec 2014 (both children full members, both letters received together),
11th Dec 2015 (both children full members, DD received her letter on about 1st Dec, DS received his on 11th Dec - that was a painful wait!),
8th Dec 2016 (both children associate members [and later converted to full members], both letters received together).

With the new management in place the impression I get is that the NCO office is more organised, and that the emails will all be pinged simultaneously regardless of age banding or audition outcome.

I expect NCO will tweet and facebook-post the minute after they have emailed us all....

latest NCOGB tweet is the results will be out by the middle of next week by email....
... the tweet before that was that they were having various techy issues being dealt with.

Ds says can't they just send it out by letter then !! Thanks for the update

They've just said we'll hear by the middle of next week...and relax!

Ha! I was right(ish) about the tech. It is far more technically involved to automatically send out individual emails than to send out big group ones. Also, it is notable that the system is not yet running completely smoothly - for example it doesn't accept payments for rescheduling auditions, and the audition emails were not automated. My money is on next Thurs by individual email. I feel for the web page developers!

Thanks for mentioning the update. I wish I hadn’t been expecting results this week!

Taggie - yep that type of tech change is quite a big deal isn’t it? The website is still down. What a shame - hopefully it’s s quick fix for the techies

Thanks so much for the update. I hadn't checked the NCO twitter feed. I have the feeling, as it is the first year they are emailing instead of posting, it will be a longer wait than the post! But new tech stuff can have initial difficulties.

Look who's cupcakes made the NCO 2017 top 9!

Hmm. That’s a bore as ds2 also auditioned (successfully) for the National youth choir and national children’s choir to hedge his bets and the NCC are asking for confirmation that we’ll take the place by Monday 11th (a bit punchy as less than a week after sending the result). NCO and NCC aren’t compatible. Especially tricky as while he loves everything about the spring NCO and the music at the summer one, he hated Rossal, so left to himself would probably go back to the ncc. Hey ho. Nice to have the choice I guess.

Actuallly, among all the music gurus here, does anyone have view as to which of the nyc and NCO are “better”?

Michael I have no experience of NYC or NCC but well done to your ds . It's a pain that things always have to clash . Ds couldn't even hedge his bets and audition for the local county youth orchestra as the dates clash and the places have already been awarded and rehearsals started - fingers crossed his gamble paid off

Michael - sorry no insights but the timing a if decisions is tough I know; our alternatives have similar deadlines - in fact we are late for one - and w ewillnhave ti take a view some point soon. We had to say no to overseas tour with the youth orchestra (dd not in it but they asked her to join it anyway) as deadline was end Nov and the coach is now full.

We had an email from NCO this morning - but it was about Winter concert photos not audition results. Had the adrenaline going for a few seconds though!

Having to resort to next window in the ginvent calendar to take my mind off the wait. Thanks DH!