Further ensemble opportunities
Take the next step in your music learning with opportunities from our partners across Bristol.
These ensembles are recommended for young musicians who already have lessons or play in Bristol Beacon ensembles, and are looking for further performance and development.
Bristol Pre-Conservatoire
An evening school for classical and jazz instrumentalists and singers at intermediate and senior level, providing weekly ensemble training in Bristol. Students come together in a supportive environment, focussing on general musicianship and chamber training.
Sessions are held weekly at St Monica’s Trust in Westbury-on-Trym.
- Intermediate: Age 11-15 Grade 6+ or equivalent
- Senior: Age 13-19 Grade 7+ or equivalent
Auditions open throughout the year.
Drake Music
Drake Music is the leading national organisation working in music, disability and technology. They are a Disabled-led organisation and work with Disabled people of all ages, from school children to professional Disabled musicians.
Drake Music work to :
- create opportunities and instruments that make music fully accessible
- get more people involved in music-making at all levels
- build an integrated musical culture where Disabled and non-disabled musicians work together as equals
Their artistic development programme supports Disabled musicians to progress their work, offering grants and commissions for Disabled musicians to further their career.
National Children’s Orchestra (NCO)
The NCO is a national annual programme brings together young musicians aged 8-14 from across the UK. NCO’s orchestral programmes are centred around the children who take part and the joy and progression they experience making music together as a large orchestra.
There are two NCO orchestral programmes:
- Three National Symphony Orchestras – each come together for two week-long residentials in the spring and summer school holidays, culminating in public performances.
- Four regional Projects Orchestras – young musicians meet for two non-residential orchestral weekends and celebratory family sharing concerts.
Open Up Music
The award-winning programmes from Open Up Music have created new opportunities for young disabled people to be musicians and make their own music.
The Bristol based charity offers:
- The National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO) – the world’s first disabled-led national youth orchestra for talented 11-25 year-old disabled and non-disabled musicians. Bristol Beacon hosts the Bristol NOYO Centre at Beacon Music Centre, for young disabled musicians across the South West to rehearse and perform together.
- Open Orchestras – designed to help special schools set up accessible orchestras, so that hundreds of young disabled people get first access to music education every year.