Age:
9 – 12
(approx. guide only)
Playing standard:
Grade 5 – 8 standard
(approx. guide only)
2025 Residency dates:
Spring: 13 – 17 April
Summer: 14 – 22 August
Each year in Sinfonia we study a challenging and diverse programme of string orchestra music, focusing on building musical foundations and keeping in balance the many aspects needed to be a performing musician. We work with the music in many ways, singing, through movement, and in small chamber groups, sectionals and full rehearsals.
Sinfonia enables students at a critical stage of their musical development to make connections between all the different musical elements coming at them, and to experience how the theory, aural and physical response to rhythm all come together at the point where performance begins.
Previous repertoire includes:
- Dowland – Dance Suite
- Haydn – 7 Last Words excerpts
- Mozart – Quartets arr. for String Orch
- Biber – Battalia
- Schreker – Intermezzo
Performances:
- Spring workshop
- Summer concert at Stamford School
Join us now!
A day in the life…
The Sinfonia residency is designed with a huge variety of musical activities as we learn more deeply when using all our senses and can also benefit from learning both with and away from our instruments. A typical day on a Sinfonia residency would include choir, a Dalcroze session, a sectional, a Kodaly musicianship class, a full rehearsal, a chamber group session and perhaps viola club. This is interspersed with plenty of rest breaks & activities organised by the Pastoral team to ensure there is never a dull moment as a member of Sinfonia!
Boarding
NYSO residencies take place at Stamford school, with each of our orchestras staying in boarding houses with Pastoral teams to care for and support each group. The Sinfonia orchestra has its own boarding house, and players sleep in rooms of 2-4 beds.
Stamford school provides us with delicious meals, as well as drinks & biscuits during breaks to help us through the long rehearsals! Various activities, including quizzes, outside games, crafts, swimming trips, movie nights & occasional visits into town are arranged by the pastoral team.
Playing: Full Orchestra, Sectionals, Mini orchestras & more
In full orchestra sessions, every player has the opportunity to contribute fully. By rotating seating and solos, we work on shared musical ideas, encouraging the players to work as a team and listen as active chamber musicians. We split into sectional rehearsals to work closely with coaches on instrument-specific challenges, and into ‘mini-orchestras’ where players can experience the repertoire in smaller chamber groups. ‘Viola club’ is an exciting opportunity for all violinists to experience the viola in collaboration with the viola section, and in the ‘cello & bass ensemble’ our lower strings work together discovering more chamber music.
Dalcroze
Dalcroze is a unique method of musicianship training where concepts are experienced and discovered through whole body movement. These sessions provide an opportunity to explore the repertoire deeply away from instruments, leading to an embodied understanding of the rhythm and pulse of the pieces. Other musical elements such as ensemble and articulation are also explored. Any physical issues can be addressed through specific movement exercises, countering the difficulties which can creep in during rehearsals.
Kodaly
In Kodaly musicianship classes, we work with elements stylistically connected to the repertoire as well as the score itself. It is integral that even at this early stage, students get know all aspects of the music they are learning, and not just their own parts. Zoltán Kodály’s approach develops musicianship through singing. The voice is everyone’s first and original instrument and singing automatically engages our inner hearing – perhaps the single most important attribute of the performing musician. As well as singing, we also work on developing rhythm, pitching, multi-part hearing and coordination.