NCO 2026

[Wishfulmasterchef]

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

A logistics question for those who have done NCO before: when roughly is arrival time on the first day of NCO? Just trying to make plans for next Easter alongside dropping DD off at the U12 residential as it seems to start on Easter Sunday!

It's been a window around something like 3-4pm.

And yay northern, congrats to her!

Thanks so much, that’s super helpful. Hopefully still time for an Easter egg hunt then 😊

Mid to late afternoon eg 3.30, 4pm

congratulations. What instrument is your daughter on?

She’s strings - violin. How about yours?

@northerngoldilocks has yours done nco before?

@Doodlingsquaresno, this is the first time she’s got a place .

Ooh - late to the party the party, but glad to have found you. Very excited as DS has a place in U14s this year, the first year he's properly applied (started the process a couple of years ago but refused to do a video...)

Not having done it before I'm not quite sure what to expect in terms of communications? We confirmed the place and paid the bill and got a "we'll be in touch soon" reply, but since then we've heard nothing - is that normal?

Yes I'm afraid so! At some point they'll send an invitation to a launch event that's an online zoom thing usually some time in Jan and after that you get login details sent for the 'member website'. There's usually some sort of online pre-event on zoom that's notionally for the kids in the orchestra to meet each other and pastoral staff who will look after them while they are there.

Ah congrats as violin is so competitive!

Didn't realise there was a thread for this! DC2 is doing Orchestral weeks in North London this year. First time for us:)

Just found this thread, what are the various age groups? I have a child who would like to audition this year 😂 and is currently in year 4.

This is for weekends

Hi to new people. DD is in under 14s this year and can't recommend the whole thing too highly, she has had the time of her life with NCO and is over the moon to have one last year. I hope your DC enjoys it as much as she does!

Hi 678, Weekends are mixed ages, with the same programme running in four different locations. It'd be age 8-13 on 31st aug 2026 to audition in '26. So year 4 now would be great. It's the residential weeks which are by age groups, but that's later - the youngest one is audition in year 6 to participate in year 7.