Youth Music's first inaugural NYMO Festival at Birmingham Town Hall

Posted: 01 July 2009

Your chance to see the best young musicians in the UK perform together - for free!

Youth Music is ten this year and as part of the birthday festivities, the UK’s largest children’s music charity is celebrating by bringing the National Youth Music Organisations together (the NYMOs) to play for the first time.

Maestro finalist and drum and bass legend, Goldie will compère the performances at Birmingham Town Hall on July 11, which are free for the public to attend as part of the culmination of the annual National Festival of Music For Youth. The inaugural NYMO Festival is the first of what will become a regular fixture at the National Festival. Goldie told us:  'Music has the power to change young people’s lives. It’s great to be back in Birmingham supporting the brightest young musicians of the future'

The festival will feature a brand new ‘Encounters’ group involving players from across the NYMO network, who are creating a new piece of repertoire especially for the event. The festival day will consist of a series of open rehearsals from 10am, followed by a showcase performance at 4.30. The concert will feature:

National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain
The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain
National Youth Jazz Collective
Youth Music Theatre UK
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
South Asian Music Youth Orchestra
Music for Youth
Pro Corda
World premiere performance by the Encounters Ensemble devised by Brian Irvine

The NYMOs support the most talented young musicians and performers from around the UK, offering unparalleled opportunities for development, learning and progression into education and professional music making.

Youth Music has provided the NYMO fund since 2001, investing more than £5,000,000 to support high quality advanced music making and performance opportunities for young musicians to ensure that any young person with sufficient musical ability can benefit from NYMO activity, regardless of their financial circumstances. It is financed by Arts Council England, the Music and Dance Scheme at the Department Children, Schools and Families and Youth Music. Chief Executive of Youth Music, Christina Coker OBE, , stated: 'The National Youth Music Organisations represent the peak of aspiration for many young musicians, and we’re immensely proud to be able to bring them all together to perform for the first time. For young instrumentalists, performers and singers, the NYMOs represent what it is possible to achieve with talent, hard work and the support of dedicated music leaders and peers. The NYMO network is one of the most dynamic and exciting bodies of support for young musicians in the world, and I can’t wait to see them perform on the 11th July at Birmingham Town Hall.'

Don’t miss this unique collaboration of NYMO musicians.

Date: Saturday 11 July, 2009
Time: Open rehearsals 9.30am - 3.50pm, NYMO Concert 4.30 – 6.30pm
Tickets:  Tickets are FREE but must be booked through the THSH Box Office - 0121 780 3333

Funded by Youth Music, Music and Dance Scheme and Arts Council England, the NYMO Festival is produced by Music for Youth in association with Youth Music

For more information on the NYMOs, visit the NYMO section of our website