Young Performers Studio (Instrumental)

Individual Sessions

• All Young Performers will receive five 1-1 guest lessons with a member of the Orchestra of Opera North throughout the year to help propel them towards their conservatoire auditions
• All Young Performers will receive 1-1 sessions with an accompanist to help with their audition preparation and musical artistry
• All Young Performers will receive a bespoke Individual Learning Plan from the Young Musicians Development Lead

Group Sessions

• Chamber orchestra session – learn a standard piece of repertoire and experience what it is like to play with your fellow musicians in a small orchestra
• Fundamentals session – get comfortable with your instrumental technique! Advised by our Opera North staff you’ll spend time learning in our group session so that you feel more prepared for any eventuality in your audition
• Performance Coaching: get more comfortable on the stage! Let our specialist performance coach help you feel prepared for how to handle any situation on the stage
• Chamber Music sessions: Participate in small ensembles in two chamber music days so that you build the ensemble skills to feel comfortable playing with other musicians and working on exciting new repertoire
• Masterclasses: Perform in and audit a masterclass led by our musicians from the Orchestra of Opera North to help refine your audition repertoire in detail
• Mock audition: Time to put all your learning to the test. You will be given a mock audition to help you prepare for the real thing! This will help give you valuable insight into your conservatoire audition
• Final recital: round off a wonderful year by celebrating your achievements and performing your audition repertoire to friends and family

Musicianship Sessions

• A course leading up to your application on common theory entrance tests that are issued across the country
• A class you can join for keyboard skills and harmonic understanding
• Grade 5 theory crash course is available for anyone who may need it (obtaining Grade 5 theory is compulsory by the end of the course for those who don’t already have it)

• Fill in the YPS Instrumental application form.
• 1^st Round: Video Round – Send an unlisted YouTube video link of you performing 2 pieces of contrasting styles to yps@operanorth.co.uk. The entire video should be no longer than 10 minutes and can be a mixture of whole or partial pieces. Please note that your pieces do not have to be accompanied. All applications must be received by the 11:59pm on the 30^th of September 2026.
• 2^nd Round: In Person – Shortlisted applicants will attend an in person audition on the evening of the 22^nd of October at the Howard Opera Centre. Please prepare two contrasting pieces for your in person audition. Please note that one piece can be the same as the video round and one piece must be different material.

Successful candidates will be required to attend all the following group sessions at the Howard Opera Centre:

Saturday 9 January 2027
Saturday 6 February 2027
Saturday 6 March 2027
Saturday 17 April 2027
Saturday 26 June 2027
Saturday 25 September 2027

Please note there will also be a workshop in late August date TBC and there will be a final recital in mid-October 2027 date TBC

Price £1900 per year.
A Limited number of bursaries are available. Please contact us for further details. 

Apply to audition