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 :)

Sounds like all associates hearing today then...???

Anyone got any thoughts on NSSO vs Pro Corda?? Now we know Noo not doing the residential....

Marmaduke, thanks for your thoughts on Regionals. We will definitely take up the place and its nice that it is monthly. Luckily Cambridge is only 1/2 an hour away for us, so not a major trek and whole day out as it is for some families.

Folk, I only know NSSO and it was very good for DD and going again this year. The children are looked after very well and the final concerts are very good.

Great news niggle . Big congrats to your dd. Yes hopefully see you there though we have yet to hear . This term regionals clashed with AYM but he still wants to do regionals if he gets a place when he can - so I'm hoping that there won't be too many clashes . If it's the same conductor as this year he's great .
I don't know anything about NSSO but I know someone who goes to pro corda ( plays both violin and piano ) and they speak very highly of it - chose to do this rather than audition for NCO I think

I am just assuming, Trumpet, that you will get good news.

Niggle I'm also hoping that he can do regionals so that I can have my days out in Cambridge - it's where I come from so I get very nostalgic and love the shops ( which are a bit lacking in my rural part of the world)

Associates for my little u10 too xx

That's very nice of you to say niggle but i can't get my hopes up I have absolutely no idea how it went as I made sure I couldn't hear ds said it was good ( apart from the random sight reading bits I've talked about) but at times his assessments of his playing can be a bit selective

Are people still hearing past 5pm - or can I switch off for a while? This is torture!!

Well done to mini niggle and mini music doc.
Really hope we hear tomorrow whatever the result!

I'm assuming we have to wait till tomorrow now - which is awful for me as I'm at work - no phones or email whilst I'm there and I am pretty certain I will have one waiting when I finish

Or maybe not as ds was auditioning for an older age group ....

Can't make my mind as to whether e-mail is any better than a letter - apart from the fact that it saves NCO money on postage.

I think email is better because it can't get lost in the post. They are responding to what people have been asking for for years. One poor soul didn't hear until December 22nd a few years back... and after all that ithe was a no.

Well done to all the associates and reserves today.

That's it for today then , ok, just at last concert now. Guess back to refreshing tomorrow..... big congratulations to all making reserves and regionals! x

The first year DD applied, I think the letter arrived two days before Christmas! The NCO office had to send out another copy for us. I can't imagine how frustrating that would be if it turned out to be a no

Nothing here yet either, I even keep checking the junk folder 'just in case'...

Also, I didn't realise that Associates and Reserves were two separate things. So someone can essentially qualify for the Nationals on the reserve list, but not get the chance to play with one of the regional orchestras?

Now, I hadn’t thought of the junk folder HouseFull.....

I get an occasional query about it from DD2, especially as she is in contact with some others from this year’s U11s, but they don’t seem to have heard yet either.

Well done to those dc with associate/regionals and to those with positive feedback.

My DD was this years U11s and we haven’t heard yet either.

One friend was unsuccessful for U12s and heard yesterday.

Well done to all those who got regionals and reserves today

Is your dd hoping for U12 this year, or repeatig U11 WindMum?

You can be an associate and not get on the reserve list.

Or you can be an associate on the reserve list (with a chance of getting in to the age-banded orchestras)

HouseFullofCats, as far as I know, if you are placed on the Reserve list, you are also offered a place in the Regionals as an Associate. (That's my experience from first year. DC was offered a place on the U10 summer course in early June.) Please someone correct me if I'm wrong on that!

Yes, definitely well done and congrats to everyone with reserves and regionals todays :-)

Still waiting to hear about youngest DC...She is worried and I'm trying to reassure her. Whatever the outcome, it's all about having a go and doing your best. It's what you learn in the process that counts.

Aah, that makes more sense thanks for explaining

Double - she’ll be u11s again if she’s successful

New to all this - mum sent and nco! Just wanted to say how helpful I’ve found it the last few days learning a bit about how it works. Not yet heard anything for my daughter (U10, viola) and not super optimistic as it was her first ever audition. Seems like lots of violins have heard already. Assuming a no for now! But thank you all for helping without even knowing it!