Senior Orchestra

Through a carefully planned programme of sectional and full rehearsals, NYSO’s Senior residencies set out to help young players develop the special ensemble skills and techniques necessary to play successfully as a member of a chamber orchestra section. The aim is for each section to play “as one”.

Major works in the string orchestra repertoire, from the baroque era through to the present day, are selected for the various challenges they present; both technical and musical. Students work with Artistic Director Damian Iorio as well as a team of professional string players whose careers have been spent performing these works all over the world.

2025 repertoire

• Respighi- Ancient Airs and Dances
• Bliss – Music for Strings
• Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Jacques Cohen)

2025 performances

• Stamford Arts Centre
• Three Choirs Festival

Previous repertoire includes:

• Tchaikovsky – Serenade
• Shostakovich – Chamber Symphony
• Schoenberg – Verklärte Nacht
• Britten – Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge
• Howells – Concerto for String Orchestra
• Strauss – Metamorphosen

Venues played in/festivals attended:

• CBSO Centre, Birmingham
• Three Choirs Festival
• Snape Maltings Concert Hall
• Kings Place, London
• Cambridge Summer Music
• Lake District Summer Music
• Musicfest Aberystwyth

A day in the life…

The Senior Orchestra is our most advanced orchestra and performs in major venues and festivals in the UK. It is conducted by NYSO’s Artistic Director, Damian Iorio, who began his professional life as a violinist before developing an international conducting career. We focus on core string orchestra repertoire, preparing one programme each year so the orchestra has the opportunity to learn the music over a longer period of time. This allows them to develop their knowledge and understanding of the music in a deeper and more rewarding way without having the pressure to perform a concert before they are ready.

Boarding

NYSO residencies take place at Stamford School. We have plenty of space for all of our orchestras and comfortable accommodation for everyone. And the food is great too! There is plenty to do in spare time and evenings. Our accommodation has common rooms with games, pool tables and table tennis, and our pastoral team also organises quizzes and games which are hotly contested!

Playing: Full Orchestra & Sectionals

Rehearsals are a mix of sectionals and full orchestra. The Spring residency is focused more on sectionals, allowing time not only to learn the notes but to resolve technical and musical problems in great detail. The Summer residency begins mostly with sectionals but then builds towards the concerts with more and more full rehearsals. The music team works in close collaboration with the conductor and are also actively involved in the full rehearsals. As we are a small orchestra, the music team is is able to focus very much on the needs of the individual. The exact balance of rehearsals is guided by the needs of the repertoire. We are flexible with our schedule as our main concern is allowing the musicians to achieve their very best and free them to play music at the highest level.