Over 500 teenage musicians who are part of the National Youth Orchestra’s Inspire programme will take over St Mary’s Academy in Blackpool for February half-term, from 11-19 February 2023.
NYO Inspire is an award winning, free, programme of musical opportunities to accelerate the potential of hundreds of teenagers annually, specifically for those from state schools and Global Majority backgrounds who lack opportunity.
During the week - NYO Inspire musicians will descend on Blackpool for two-three day residencies in their orchestral family groups, and for instrument days. They will enjoy ensemble playing, and develop their technique and musicianship, whilst meeting other passionate teenage musicians and showcasing the power of music to improve confidence, aspirations and skills.
Many musicians from the NYO Inspire Programme are encouraged to, and successfully audition, for the ‘world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers’ The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
In Blackpool many of the current cohort of NYO musicians will join Inspire musicians as role models, sharing their skills and experience with their peers.
Local young musicians who currently take part in Blackpool based Music Hub activities will also have the opportunity to participate by attending NYO Inspire Days. These are free, creative workshops which encourage musicians to explore their creativity, improvisation and ensembles skills.
At the end of each day, informal sharing performances will take place for friends and family of performers.
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain exists to unlock the potential of the UK’s young musicians, through the power of orchestral music.
Established in 1948, NYO was founded on the unshakeable belief in the power of young people, and the knowledge that these young people are capable of achieving the their full potential through highest standards of music-making. This ethos continues in the modern iteration of the organisation today.
NYO’s mission is simple: to work alongside teenage musicians to open up orchestral music and share it with their generation. They work to dismantle barriers stopping young people from feeling included in orchestral music: NYO’s understanding of this art form is that it can and should be radically inclusive and relevant to every young person in the UK, regardless of their background or their access to music in school or at home.