165 teenagers on tour - National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain -

The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain appears at the Proms on Sunday 10 August 2014 when, conducted by Edward Gardner, they will be performing a challenging programme consisting of Stravinsky's Petrushka, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1, Birtwistle's Sonance Severance 2000 and Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra. The soloist in the Prokofiev will be the 26 year old Swiss pianis Louis Schwizgebel who was took second prize in the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition. The Proms appearance is the culmination of a tour which the orchestra takes the same programme to the Sage Gateshead (7/8) and Symphony Hall, Birmingham (9/8).

The orchestra consists of 165 teenagers, aged 13 to 19. The orchestra's leader is Birmingham native, Roberto Ruisi. He will play a Stradivarius violin lent to him by fellow John Ludlow, the first ever leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 1948.  The players will have gathered for a two week residency in Birmingham prior to the tour and in addition to intensive instrumental rehearsals and workshops addressing all aspects of musicality including voice, movement, composing and improvisation, there are further performances.

Orchestra's brass ensemble performs at Birmingham Library on July 27, as a part of a global initiative to commemorate the centenary of the last day of peace in 1914. Principal players from the orchestra will be leading an Inspire Day, with workshops with over 80 young musicians from across the West Midlands with the aim of inspiring other young musicians. Then there are free theatrical performances of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt for families, performed by nine NYOGB players take place on August 1 and 2, with music composed by NYOGB alumnus composer Duncan Ward and performed without a conductor to Michael Rosen’s words. The second performance is part of the NYOBG’s ‘Play the City’ – which sees the entire orchestra divide into small ensembles and take to the streets of Birmingham in a celebration of what the teenagers are really capable of.

Further information from the orchestra's website.