National Children's Orchestras Winter Concert

The young musicians embrace the many moods of music by Varèse, Debussy, Dukas and Prokofiev.

Open to musicians aged seven to 14, the National Children’s Orchestras give talented youngsters their first experience of orchestral playing.

The NCO is the only orchestral learning programme for younger children across the UK.

The orchestras' winter concert is conducted by Jonathan Bloxham. It opens with a musical take on the act of tuning up by experimental 20th-century composer Edgard Varèse.

Next, we have the evocative music of Claude Debussy, beginning with the moonlight melody Clair de lune.

You might know Paul Dukas’ piece from Disney’s Fantasia. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice builds thrilling dramatic tension through a deceptively jaunty theme.

To close, Sergey Prokofiev’s ballet music evokes the complex emotions of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.