This summer the National Open Youth Orchestra made their debut at the BBC Proms festival, performing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at Bristol Beacon.
The BBC Proms concert featured music by Vivaldi, Florence Price, Oliver Cross, Michael Betteridge and Charlotte Harding. Alice Farnham was the conductor, Niamh Moriarty, the narrator, and former student, Alessandro Vazzana, the Clarion soloist.
Treloar College student Evie plays Clarion with NOYO and she told us about her experience of performing:
“I am proud to be a member of the National Open Youth Orchestra”
How did you prepare for the concert?
“Before any concert I make sure I get a good night's sleep. To prepare to perform, I'm going to tell you how I set up my instrument.
First, we needed to attach the Clarion stand to my wheelchair and put it in the correct position. Then there were three wires that needed to be connected. These were the charger, the speaker, and the display screen. Finally, I needed my sheet music where I could see it.
We had to be at the venue early for a last-minute rehearsal. Before that we had a safety briefing where we were basically told what to do in an emergency. We had lunch before the concert.”
What did it feel like to play with NOYO Orchestra and be part of the iconic BBC Proms Festival?
“Honestly, it was just the best experience. Knowing that I was making history as part of the world's first disabled-led orchestra at our Proms debut was just amazing. Words cannot describe just how much of an honour it was to be able to perform at the BBC proms at Bristol Beacon.
Were you nervous?
“I don't really get nervous or worried anymore. There is a lot happening on stage and most of the time nobody knows if you make a mistake. I learnt from a very young age just to carry on and not make it known that you made a mistake.”
What does it feel like to be performing alongside professional musicians inspiring the next generation of disabled musicians?
“I am extremely grateful to have been able to perform alongside professional musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and to have a professional conductor. It just shows that you can ultimately do anything if you work hard enough consistently to achieve your goals and aspirations in life.
I want to keep inspiring the next generation of disabled people that have a passion for music. I want to show them it is possible to access music despite having a disability, having access needs or being neurodivergent. It just might look a bit different.”
What difference does playing a musical instrument and performing with an orchestra make to your life?
“Playing an instrument has opened so many doors and given me so many opportunities to inspire others. I have learnt and developed so many important skills not only musically, but also socially. My confidence has just skyrocketed on stage and in general.”
Are there other benefits?
“Being in an orchestra isn't just about performing. I've gained a lot of experience working with people within the orchestra and the performance industry. Composers, conductors and music arrangers, musicians, music leaders, technical assistants, camera crew etc. I've also been involved with quite a lot of the media and marketing. I really enjoy that part of it as well.”
NOYO is the world’s first disabled-led national youth ensemble. Over recent years a number of Treloar’s students have auditioned and performed with NOYO. During the relaxed performance, players in the orchestra introduced each piece of music. The theme was ‘this is our orchestra’, and the intention was to involve the audience throughout and to show how music tells stories and how the orchestra works together to sound amazing.
You can listen to their performance on BBC Sounds (from 1.27):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002zsp5
All photos: Jessie Myers | Soul Media