Youth Music administers applications and awards for the National Youth Music Organisations fund, launched in April 2003 with contributions from Arts Council England, the Department for Education and Skills as well as Youth Music. The total fund is £2.65 million is to be spent over the next three years. Youth Music contributed £1.2 million.

This is the first time in the history of England's National Youth Music Organisations that funding has been established specifically to help these organisations to maintain and develop their activities. The fund will go a significant way towards resolving some of the financial problems currently being faced by the National Youth Music Organisations and enable them to promote wider access to some of the best music education, training and performance opportunities available.

The National Youth Music Organisations partnership aims to:

• Help maintain core activities and develop artistic programmes.
• Ensure that more talented and committed young musicians, particularly those who are disadvantaged, get access to the organisations' music-making activities. This will include extending auditions geographically and widening membership and repertoire.
• Support wider cultural diversity of music in the National Youth Music Organisations' sector.

The National Youth Music Organisations partnership is an advocacy and funding initiative to help stabilise the funding of organisations such as:


Music for Youth (MfY)

Music for Youth is an educational charity with a worldwide reputation for its work in music education. It provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for all kinds of groups of young musicians and audiences through a nationwide series of festivals and concerts. 1.9 million children have taken part in Music for Youth events since 1971.

The Music for Youth year comprises three major events: the Regional Festival Series, the National Festival and the Schools Proms. Groups enter these events at the beginning of the academic year (September) and are then invited to take part in a local Regional Festival in the spring. Up to 300 groups are then invited to perform at the National Festival in July. Following the National Festival, a further 30 groups are invited to appear at the Schools Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in November.


National Association of Youth Orchestras (NAYO)

The members of the National Association of Youth Orchestras include National youth orchestras, Individual youth orchestras, Student youth orchestras, International youth orchestras. The majority of NAYO’s membership is made up of music services, where several youth instrumental orchestras and ensembles are covered by one subscription. These may include symphony orchestras, string, chamber, jazz, wind, training orchestras as well as chamber, rock, pop, traditional and early music groups. Young people in full time education can now join NAYO as individual student members.

National youth orchestras in membership of NAYO include the National Youth Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Great Britain, the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Youth Orchestra, the National Children's Orchestra, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland, the National Youth String Orchestra of Scotland and the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain.

National Children's Orchestra (NCO)

The National Children's Orchestra has five age-banded orchestras, for children between the ages of 7 and 13 years. It draws together each year almost 500 talented musicians, divided into the five age banded orchestras, from all over the UK. Their eldest group - the Main Orchestra is one of the world's finest children's orchestras. Members enjoy performing in concerts up and down the country.


National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB)

The NYBB was founded in 1952 by Dr Denis Wright, OBE. The band exists to provide opportunities for young people to play brass band music to the highest standards, and is aimed not only at helping their playing, but also improving their musicianship and widening their musical horizons. Residential courses, lasting for one week, are held twice a year. These take place at Easter and in August at various centres throughout the country each course ends with a number of prestigious concerts. In recent years the band has commissioned many new compositions from leading composers and the band regularly records for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 3.

Over 3,000 players have taken part in the 93 courses held since the band was founded, including many who have since become world renowned performers and conductors. Membership of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain is open to any player of a brass band instrument between the ages of 12 and 18.

National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB)

The National Youth Choir is dedicated to kindling a passion for singing in young people. Its mission is to produce a world class standard of performance from young singers of the highest quality through secure training, progressive learning and a supportive atmosphere. The NYC takes pride in programming music from the UK’s choral tradition, and also from every culture where songs are sung. The choirs include:

• National Youth Training Choir
• Northern Girls' Choir
• Southern Girls' Choir
• Northern Boys' Choir
• Southern Boys' Choir
  

National Youth Jazz Association (NYJA)

More information tbc


National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO)

The National Youth Orchestra is one of the world's finest youth orchestras which draws together each year over 150 talented musicians, aged between 13 and 19 years, from all over the UK. Each member of the orchestra has one thing in common - a passion and commitment to the study and performance of great music.

The orchestra’s courses explore a wide repertoire from romantic symphonies to world premieres of demanding contemporary works by living composers. NYO has also introduced special masterclasses attracting world class soloists to offer help and guidance to members of the orchestra. Courses culminate in concerts at prestigious venues such as Barbican Hall, London, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, St David's Hall, Cardiff and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

The NYO's annual appearance at the BBC Proms has become a tradition which attracts capacity audiences who enjoy the thrill of the NYO concert experience.


South Asian Music Youth Orchestra (Samyo)

Samyo was founded in 2002, and premiered at The Lowry; it is the UK’s first national South Asian Music Youth Orchestra. Samyo’s repertoire covers traditional North Indian (Hindustani) and South Indian (Carnatic) music styles, but also features pieces influenced by world music.

Samyo is unique because it presents these diverse styles of Indian music together, performed by dynamic young performers, all of whom are born and brought up in the UK. Members are recruited nationally and the orchestra is fast becoming both prestigious and a fast track to artistic recognition. The orchestra has performed at high profile venues including The Barbican and The Sage.


Youth Music Theatre:UK

YMT: UK was started in 2003 by a group of experienced and committed directors, administrators, pastoral staff, young people and parents who were determined to create a dynamic, vibrant and participatory company which could bring together young people from around the UK in music theatre projects.

Many of these projects involve young people creating and devising the work themselves, supported by professional directors, choreographers and musical directors. Sometimes we will ask a writer or composer to write a piece specially, but in this case they will still be working with the young people's help to shape and develop the piece with them.

The company will be providing a full range of residential workshops, mostly in universities, boarding schools or activity centres, during the school and college holidays. The first point of entry is either through The Studio or through Auditions. The charity also provides a range of Outreach opportunities including specialist courses for young people with disabilities, taster workshops for schools or youth services and cross community projects in Northern Ireland.