National Children'S Orchestras Of Great Britain

NCO is the only orchestral learning programme for younger children across the UK. We give children their first experience of the joy of orchestral playing, and help them to realise their full creative potential.

What children think matters, and we have started to listen.

We enable their creative voices through our Surround Sound programme, which brings children together in smaller groups to create something new. We listen to their ideas and opinions through our Child Boards and encourage social leadership through mentorship opportunities, enabling them to become powerful advocates for music in the future.

We support the emotional and physical wellbeing of our young musicians. 7-14 is an ideal age to increase awareness of positive movement, posture and mindfulness when playing. It is also well evidenced that music has a powerful part to play in supporting emotional resilience in children. Being a part of NCO is about building confidence, independence and celebrating achievements, as well as creating lifelong friendships and having fun.

Our orchestral learning programme this year comprises of over 700 children who will be joined by many more children through new activities that we are developing in partnership with music education hubs. We want to create the right experience at the right time for many more children. NCO’s financial aid programme supports over 100 children to take part every year. We are committed to ensuring that children can take their place at NCO without barrier.

We are not one but eleven symphony orchestras; five national age-banded orchestras and six regional orchestras. Our young musicians benefit from one-off experiences, regular rehearsals and residency activities. In 2020, our orchestras will perform in Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, London, Manchester, Poole and Sevenoaks.

Our tutors are over 100 of the UK’s finest instrumental teachers and professional orchestral musicians. We also work with some of the most forward thinking and renowned experts in creative practice and child wellbeing.

We believe that NCO is a place where children can truly flourish.