Autumn / Winter 2025 Music

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread in time for the new school term!

Come and talk about music lessons, choosing instruments, exams, auditions, specialist schools, orchestras or whatever other music activities are going on. Everyone is welcome, from those with total beginners to those whose children are studying music at advanced levels. Ask for advice or share successes or struggles.

Alex Hillairet in Holloway

If south Dante Zufolo in Bromley

Thanks both. I also asked around and South London youth orchestra had a local luthier come to the 3 and 4 concerts so have messaged them - if they work out will be great as super local. If not I’ll try the ones recommended here. Thank you

@northerngoldilocks - John Proctor in Norwood is DD's luthier of choice.

Thanks - he was going to be my option but as you say now in Norwood - he used to be in Nunhead which was more local but have had underwhelming exp in the past so unsure. Some people do rate him though so I could give him another try. Have found someone super local who can look at it tomorrow so hoping they’re good as would be amazing if so - especially for small repairs where being able to walk round is a bonus!

Any interesting suggestions for music related summer jobs? Probably short term ones. Middle one looking for things to do that ideally pay. Pastoral staff on music courses is an option she's interested in, but the orchestras she's been in need a gap after you've been in them or you can't know young musicians, which rules out the ones she knows about. Any other interesting things to investigate?

@horseymum - RSCM have an emerging leaders scheme for pastoral/singing/conducting assistants for their residential summer courses.

DS having an absolute ball at the Rodolfus Choir. We went to see them this evening, and they were amazing!

Singing evensong on Radio 3 at 3pm if you want a listen!

Hi everyone, has anyone got experience of NCO for lower strings, particularly Birmingham? What is the actual (rather then stated) standard required usually? Child will be 10 this year so plenty of time.
Unlike the child doing a music scholarship soon, this one is already practising today 😂.

Hi @678socks- is that the orchestral weekend? If so my understanding of those is that they have a range of players from the stated level probably up to gr 8 plus on some instruments. Mine haven’t done the weekends but people who have said their DC found them accessible even if they were at the lower end of the suggested grades

Yes the weekends and the child will have done/be imminently doing grade 5 by the time the audition is done. Suggested grade is 3/4 I think. Should be able to use exam pieces I think if sitting exam in the summer. If it is in March then maybe new stuff. Does anyone know if we could record around exam time in March and then just submit once the entries are open? Thanks

I think it should be fine to record earlier. Maybe check with them if the format will stay the same this year?

@chocolateisnecessary ah good idea thank you! Just if they do grade 5 in March then the pieces will be hopefully brilliant at that point. Otherwise we have to get a post exam child straight into audition mode ready for a May recording…!

The submission period for NCO is towards the end of July - think it might open in May and they send excerpts then for the levels and instruments that require them

@northerngoldilocks thank you, right ok think we won’t use grade 5 pieces then unless they end up sitting in the summer. Do they all record the same extracts then??

I think it's better to submit lower grade but exam ready pieces.

I can't remember lower strings grades in projects, our cello friends were grade 7 in year 6 but there were lower grades too, as far as I remember. Even in violins there was a mix of grades so definitely worth trying.

Maybe just record the pieces anyway just in case when they are at peak, then you have them. Hope the exam preparation is going well.

NCO - The first time DD got into Weekends ("Projects" as was) on violin she played grade 5 pieces that she'd learned but not yet had a proper lesson on (the deadline used to be September, she was set them to learn over the holiday). It was where she was at, wasn't worth changing the whole lesson plan for it.

I'd also say if your DC wants the northern projects, that has in past years been much less oversubscribed than the London ones. Iirc sometimes they have had late auditions open for all instruments. So I think a solid g5 string player is in a very good position.

Audition wise - they usually ask the child to state name and age, then answer a getting-to-know-you question at the beginning of the video. So if you did want to record early worth checking out if instructions are available or if anyone here can remember the questions from last year. The audition window last year was mid may to end of july or thereabouts. Honestly though, I'd think go with whatever she works on in the summer term. March exam to end of July audition - she'll have something audition suitable.

I can't remember, do they ask for excerpts for Weekends still? If they do that can be in a separate video so that's not a problem. But the talky bit is supposed to be in the same video.

Excerpts were for residentials only.

Thanks everyone. We will record the exam pieces potentially as a just in case (as the exam is definitely face to face) but it sounds like they will either have oven ready grade 5 pieces if sitting in June or something else post a grade 5 sit in March, I presume you need to stay somewhere for the weekends if not located in the city? We could do either london or Birmingham.

In the past there have been 2 separate weekends so yes, If not local enough to travel daily would need to stay nearby. Only the residential weeks have accommodation

Have you seen the 2026 audition handbook? You’d be looking for 2027 but I don’t think there have been significant changes to the process year on year

https://nco.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1.-Auditioning-for-NCO-2026-Handbook_Rebranded.pdf

@northerngoldilocks thank you, probably means london then as can stay with friends for free. Ah thank you, I clicked on a link but it sent me to an error page.

Looks like we probably don’t get to choose location actually so it might be brum!