NCO - do they take in a wide range of ages/levels or just the best?

[doubletroublethentriple]

For the non-residential weekends for younger musicians. DC plays one of the instruments with stated requirement of grade 3 or above. But the audition pieces need to be 2-3 minute long each. Which rules out anything under grade 5 (using Abrsm as guide). What do they expect the less advanced to play? DC keen to try and has chosen a couple of pieces that they like. One meets the minimum length but the other is under.

On the application form, we need to put down the instrument level. Is it the grade that they just passed or the next up? DC on the young side, reflected in the grade - rather age appropriate! But will they take in a wide range of ages and levels? Or is it a don't bother?

We found out about NCO quite late. With only 10 days left, am wondering if it's worth giving it a go.

I don't think that this question is one that anyone can answer with certainty but it probably depends on instrument and demand. I think its fair to say that younger players at lower grades have more chance of getting a place than older players at the same grade as they will hopefully continue to progress and then might ultimately be part of the residential weeks. In terms of level its just indicative of where they are roughly now - I'm not sure how much it matters what you write though as the panel will hear the audition video.

In any event, its probably worth putting in a low stress recording just to get used to the process. It definitely gets more stressful when they've been in already and are desperate to get a place again, so would just focus on it being a good experience to try their best and to share how much they love playing in their video.

There's a music thread too so you could join on there and ask any more specific questions on the audition if helpful?

Anecdotally, DD auditioned aged 8 with grade 4 pieces, got waitlisted then offered a place. I don't remember the length of her pieces but I doubt any of them was 2-3 minute long as it would have been physically difficult for her to play that long. I think NCO is looking for good technique and musicality in younger years, not necessarily higher grades.
Her section was a mix of tweens/teens that didn't get into NCO residentials and younger ones like her.

If your DC is keen try, why not doing it for the audition experience? It's a separate skill that needs training, too.

I'd say give it a go. Last year mine was 8 and was due to take grade 3 in the December. We also chose to give it a go very late and had 2 days to record it. She played a grade 3 piece and a not quite grade 3 piece - her total video was only 3mins long, including the intro. She got in without any waitlisting, but I don't think it was on a competitive instrument (larger brass) or a competitive orchestra. It might have been a different situation if she was a London based violinist.

She had an absolutely brilliant time, and had we been a bit more cautious about applying (we didn't think she had a chance really) she would have missed out.

Definitely give it a go but fully explain to your child that sometimes people try for a few goes before getting in and it's great experience doing the audition, recording etc. I wonder if there's an element of them appreciating perseverance as well in that if you don't get in, you come back to try again, not just writing it off. My middle one only got into a youth orchestra she wanted to on the third go. Another one she got in first time, you can never predict.

It's reassuring to know that younger kids can do shorter pieces for the audition. We will probably just recyle the exam pieces. No expectations whatsoever. We only decided this week to give it a go. It will serve more of a practice for my recording skills. And learning how to set up a Youtube link! Thank you everyone.

Gosh yes the piece length is a guide not a requirement. By under 14 we were struggling to find anything short enough, and compromised on one miniature under 2 minutes and one slightly longer than it should have been. Don't know if they listened to the end but she got in.

I'd put down the approx grade of the pieces you're auditioning with, but don't worry about it it doesn't affect the outcome. If they say G3+, it likely means some students who put G3 on the form have previously got in on those instruments.

Also agree with northern, I think being young and therefore potential for future national orchestras is a plus.

We are debating when to introduce an instrument with our youngest. It seems from this thread you need to be grade 3/4 at age 8 for these orchestral groups. What age did you start and on what instruments? I regret not organising lessons with my older two sooner.

@Pip290 There are loads of ensemble opportunities that don't require you to have started at an early age so don't despair! It's never too late to start learning, but some instruments are better suited to earlier starting, like violin because you get small sizes. There's a long running music thread which would be ideal to join to get more advice on merits of different instruments and different opportunities round the country.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/extra_curricular_activities/5573971-autumn-winter-music-thread-20262027

They are building an orchestra, not an army of soloists. The instrument specialists know what they are looking for - I’ve had a DC get in previously with grade 3 exam pieces, both of which were just about 2 mins.

And for what it’s worth, you can use MTB exam recordings for the NCO audition but not Abrsm or trinity.

Mine started violin at five and a half, with 15-minute weekly lessons at a Saturday music school (10 lessons per term), moving to 30 minutes at six. I’d planned to wait, but a place came up. Looking back, we started too early for my child—progress was much quicker after six.
I don’t think there’s any need to rush into formal lessons. Singing nursery rhymes, clapping rhythms and playing a toy piano or glockenspiel are valuable, enjoyable ways to explore music and bond.
It may be different when parents are professional musicians and playing is naturally part of family life, but early lessons aren’t essential.

It depends on the child really and whether they want to try it and, more importantly, continue with the daily practice. Girls usually mature earlier but it's also a generalisation. DD started Kodaly classes (singing, dancing, clapping rhythms etc) around 3-4 and her music school strictly forbade us starting an instrument early, but in hindsight I should have started her around 4 as she begged and begged endlessly. She started first instrument in reception eventually and second and third ones aged 7.

Grades are not that important, the main thing is to set up the correct technique right from the start and establish daily practice routine.

Grades on different instruments are not comparable btw. DD jumped from zero to grade 4 on her second instrument in one year, just because brass grades are easier than strings, and she had an excellent teacher too. On the violin, she did eight grades in maybe five years, but it's much harder work. We wasted a couple of years too as her first violin teacher was not great and we had to unpick and rebuild her technique, it was a real pain 🙂 Piano is fairly easy up until grade 5-6, then it only goes harder and harder 🙈

You don't need early or intensive training for NCO weekends at all, in any section, and for residentials only the violins and maybe cellos are quite advanced. It's great fun and well worth trying, DD really loves the social aspect of NCO.

Thank you all so much for the helpful tips! Also very reassuring that it’s worth a shot for the weekends. The social element holds huge appeal.