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Extra-curricular activities

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NCO 2018 (continued)

286 replies

TrumpetVoluntary · 26/12/2017 21:09

Hi
I thought I would start a new thread as the other one must be nearly full and I might have lots of questions as it is our first time!
My DD is in the U10s for 2018 and hopefully also in South Easterlies. I told my parents about her getting a place and they would like to come to her concert if possible (I understand that this is 11am on 19 August at Port Regis school) or have volunteered to look after my younger children instead if needed. Given my parents get booked up months in advance (they have a very active social life!) and Port Regis isn’t particularly near where we live so we might end up booking accommodation, then I wondered if anyone could let me know how this works:

  • do we get a limited number of tickets? I assume there must be some kind of limit.
  • would the concert be suitable for children (my younger DC will be 7 and 5 by then)?
Thanks very much.
OP posts:
Radiodependent · 06/02/2018 15:00

Glad i’m not the only one with a ds who stares into space during rehearsals/concerts! Yes better to leave and not know how much of that is happening...

Michaelahpurple · 08/02/2018 21:39

Those last few posts are sooooo comforting - thank you!

Wafflenose · 11/02/2018 10:30

Off to South Westerlies with both kids today. I am wearing jeans, a blue and white shirt, and will have a flower in my hair. I'm also wearing boots because it's too wet for the music trainers! Come and introduce yourselves if you're going... I am very shy and also don't want a repeat experience of last summer (running up to a random stranger and chatting away...)!

TrumpetVoluntary · 11/02/2018 17:52

Hope you and kids had fun today Wafflenose. We are really excited about South Easterlies next weekend!

OP posts:
Radiodependent · 11/02/2018 19:13

Yes can’t believe South easterlies is next weekend. We haven’t been sent music or anything, do they just read it when they get there? Hopefully ds will be awake as it’s half term for us this week.

Orangecase · 12/02/2018 08:35

I don't know what to do... I've been asking NCO to change the regional from Easterlies to South Easterlies (because it is much closer to us, I just found out that they have one in Surrey. When applied, I had no doubt to get London Junior with little attention to the second choice, my big mistake as the first time NCO parent!) by emails and phone calls, but they do not.

Last Monday, I emailed them and asked the venue change. No response.
So I called them and asked. A lady said that she would talk to someone in charge. No response.

Two days later, I called the office and asked. A lady (different from the lady on the previous day) said on the phone that she would be able to change and would email me the details later, but she did not email me.

So, I called them up again next day, and asked. Another lady checked and found that we were still in Easterlies on their PC. So she suggested that I should ask them in writing (by email).

I asked the change of venue by email. No response.

Last Friday, I called them again. Someone said that she would tell someone in charge of regionals to help you, but no response....

This is so frustrating as the first SE rehearsal is this coming Sunday.
And now I worry that the person in charge may be out of office because of the half term...

Sorry about the long text. but it would be great if someone could give me your advice about what I could do from now or help me to make sense of this clueless situation.
Thank you.

Orangecase · 13/02/2018 07:40

After the long pain, I finally got a reply from NCO, which was great disappointment regarding the venue:(
Anyway, thank you for reading. Have a lovely half term:)

Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 07:53

Oh that's a shame orange hav a good half term too . I think this year they were trying to balance all the instruments in the regional orchestras as best they could ( ds plays in easterlies and some instruments weren't at all well represented last year which wasn't great for anyone )

Orangecase · 13/02/2018 08:28

Yes, you are right Trumpet. They said violin section was full in London and SE. If DD2 played a different instrument, not a violin, she would have been able to change the venue. Oh well never mind..

Now that we finished a new violin teacher hunting, grade exams and 11+/13+ business (with music/sport scholar auditions), we (particularly I!) really need to sit back and relax, though I am quite happy to listen to DD2 (violin) and DS (cello) playing their instruments during the break.

TrumpetVoluntary · 13/02/2018 09:29

Orange - sorry you didn’t get the venue you wanted but I hope your DD still manages to go along and has fun.
Radio - we haven’t been sent any music either so hopefully DD’s sightreading will be good enough!

OP posts:
Siriusmuggle · 13/02/2018 10:07

any hoody info yet? The boy wants a hoody.

Trumpetboysmum · 13/02/2018 12:16

Apparently you can now order hoodies . We didn't get music in advance last year but afte the first rehearsal there were links to the music on the regionals section of the website

Paulweller11 · 13/02/2018 12:55

Hoodies are on sale x

bassclef · 13/02/2018 15:10

Hoodies not on sale for Main Orchestra yet - hopefully not too much longer to wait for us Siriusmuggle

Radiodependent · 14/02/2018 07:34

Thanks Trumpetboysmum, that’s useful.

stringchild · 15/02/2018 09:12

Hi orchestra lists on line - useful for those of us looking to see who might be put down on the room share forms

Paulweller11 · 15/02/2018 09:59

Anyone have a percussionist in under 10’s?

Siriusmuggle · 15/02/2018 14:03

Have you got a link to the lists? I can only see 2017. Thanks.

stringchild · 15/02/2018 18:29

Hinthey are under National Orchestras (same place as where 2017s were) -
Sorry can’t domlink on phone

Siriusmuggle · 16/02/2018 09:11

I can still only see 2017! CAn anyone else see 2018?

Paulweller11 · 16/02/2018 09:15

I see 2018

Siriusmuggle · 16/02/2018 09:22

I can see 2018 on my phone but not on my pc!

bassclef · 16/02/2018 10:24

I can see 2018 on my pc. Haven't tried phone!

TrumpetVoluntary · 16/02/2018 10:43

www.nco.org.uk/nco-2018/national-orchestras
It is on this page for me.

OP posts:
TaggieOHara · 16/02/2018 14:01

I can see them. Got all wound up because I couldn't find DS2 (bearing in mind previous confusion), then twigged that they are in alphabetical order of first name, not surname .

Southeasterlies on Sunday! Im hoping we'll be there, as DS2 is ill at the moment. If he can't go to this one, he'll have to wait until April as there is a choir concert on the March date.