NYO Unite comes to Trinity Academy, Barnsley on Monday 27th October 2025!

These events are run by our national partners the National Youth Orchestra

Free Musical Opportunities for Young Musicians Aged 12–19

If your child is aged 12–19 and plays a musical instrument at Grade 3 or above (no need to have taken official exams), they may be interested in a fantastic free event hosted by the  National Youth Orchestra (NYO). This opportunity is designed to support and accelerate their musical development.

NYO Unite comes to Trinity Academy, Barnsley (next to J37 M1) on Monday 27th October 2025.

We are delighted to share further information about how local musicians in the region can get involved in this musical opportunity.

As part of this day of music-making, NYO will be hosting two musical opportunities for musicians to get involved in.

NYO Open Event (1:00pm – 5:15pm)

A creative music-making session led by NYO Alumni, open to musicians aged 12–18 playing any instrument (not just orchestral) at Grade 3+ level.

This is free and open to musicians aged 12-18 on any instrument (not just orchestral!), playing at a Grade 3+ standard. You will have the opportunity to perform what you have worked on as part of a sharing performance at 4:45pm to family and friends.

If you are attending this activity, NYO would encourage you to stay until 6.00pm to also experience the NYO Unite orchestra perform, which is made up of 150 teenage orchestral musicians (please see details below). To sign up to the NYO Open Event, please follow this link: NYO Unite 2026 - Barnsley Open Event

NYO Unite Orchestra (13–19 years, Grade 6–8+)

Part of the NYO Inspire programme, this opportunity brings together 150 teenage musicians to rehearse and perform Gabriela Ortiz’s Kauyumari with NYO Tutors and conductor Otis Lineham.

Free to attend

Sharing performance at 5:30pm

Open to orchestral musicians aged 13–19, especially those:

• Attending state schools
• Facing barriers to accessing musical opportunities
• Home-schooled
• From Black, Asian or ethnically diverse backgrounds

To sign up for this orchestral activity please create an NYO account and complete an application online for NYO Inspire 2026 here.

Here are a couple of videos you can share to give musicians a taste of what taking part in NYO Inspire 2026 can look like:

• NYO Inspire Experience | Meet Martha, Rebekah and Logan
• Start your musical journey with NYO Inspire

Questions?

For any queries about NYO Open Event or NYO Unite, please contact the Inspire Team directly at: inspire@nyo.org.uk