Permission requested to use information from http://www.hants.gov.uk/hcyo/about.html

The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra gives the best of the county's instrumental players the opportunity to perform in a full symphony orchestra. Formed in 1971 by Edgar Holmes the orchestra performs several times a year in a wide range of concert venues both in Hampshire and further afield.

Above the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra at The Anvil, Basingstoke. The same venue for this exciting event below

Hampshire County Youth Orchestra will host Ballet Inganzo, an exciting young dance company from Rwanda.

Formed from three Rwandan tribes that until recently were engaged in civil war, Ballet Inganzo was founded as part of a process of reconciliation by group director François Nkinzehwiki.

See them at The Anvil, Basingstoke Saturday 13 July 2004.
Tickets for the evening performance, which begins at 7:45pm, are £8 and £6 with concessions available, please contact

The Anvil, Basingstoke,UK

telephone 01256 844244 or

www.theanvil.org.uk

During July, the company will also be giving workshops and performances in 11 Hampshire schools.

The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra consists of around 200 players who are drawn from schools all over the county. Yearly auditions take place and successful members are welcomed into the orchestra each September. Rehearsals are held fortnightly and the orchestra holds a residential course during the Easter holiday at Bryanston School, Dorset.

During the year players receive expert coaching from professional musicians and an association with the London Symphony Orchestra began in 1998.

In addition to the HCYO, the Hampshire County Youth Chamber Orchestra extends the range of playing opportunities to members in terms of both repertoire and venues. Two further performing groups for wind and string players act as training orchestras, each having its own conductor and team of tutors. The newly formed Hampshire County Youth Double Reed Ensemble provides oboists and bassoonists the opportunity to play in an ensemble group.

The orchestra is proud to be associated with the London Symphony Orchestra's Discovery Project and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Hampshire Music Service

The Hampshire County Youth Orchestras are supported by the Hampshire Music Service. Hampshire Music Services(HMS) is acknowledged as one of the most successful Music Service providers in England today. Over 12,000 pupils receive instrumental tuition in schools and colleges each week from qualified specialist teachers. Exceptionally talented young musicians can audition for a Music Award, giving them access to individual lessons. Primary school class music teaching, a full range of ensemble opportunities and inspection / advisory services are also available.

The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra is part of the Hampshire Music Service, which is responsible for maintaining over 70 area and county music ensembles across Hampshire. These groups enjoy a high profile and an envious reputation locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Music Service is part of Hampshire County Council, and it provides instrumental and vocal teaching to more than ten thousand Hampshire children, taught by over 150 specialist music teachers. Through the service, schools and teachers are also able to obtain high quality music curriculum Inspection, advice and classroom teaching. These opportunities and resources bring to many children the experiences, excitement, and rewards of taking part in musical events, festivals and concerts as members of school, area and county bands, orchestras and choirs.

To find out more about the work of Hampshire Music Service, please visit our web site at www.hants.gov.uk/education/hms. Alternatively, just click on the Hampshire Music Service logo, above and to the right of this paragraph.

The Musicians

The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra is made up of a number of young musicians who are chosen by audition from towns, villages, and cities throughout the geographical county of Hampshire. Members are selected for either the Wind and String Orchestras, or the County Youth Orchestra, and members of the Chamber Orchestra are selected from players who have successfully auditioned for the County Youth Orchestra. The upper age limit is 19, and members have to be current students at a Hampshire school or college or be resident in the area. The lower limit depends entirely on skill.

Entry is by audition, but most members have taken some kind of grade exams beforehand. It is suggested that applicants for the Wind and String Orchestras have Grade 5 and applicants for the County Youth Orchestra have Grade 7 or 8 (or equivalent standards). If you would like to apply for a place in the next academic year for any orchestra, please click here for information and an Application Form to fill in and post. We are currently unable to accept applications online.

The orchestra's conductor is Nicholas Wilks. You can read about his background by

Information compliments of http://www.hants.gov.uk/hcyo/about.html