Violin players from Essex Youth Orchestra

Join East Anglia’s premier professional chamber orchestra for a day of strings, woodwind, brass and percussio n!

Supported by Orchestras Live and Essex Music Service, young musicians from Essex are invited to join a day of workshops focusing on ensemble playing and instrumental technique led by our regional professional chamber orchestra, Britten Sinfonia.

This Inspiration Day is for all strings, woodwind, brass and orchestral percussion students who have achieved Grade 4 and above, who wish to learn with real industry professionals, learn to perform in groups and perform in front of a live audience at the end of the day.

Places are limited to a maximum of 110 students (50 of strings, 50 mixed of woodwind and brass, 10 of percussion), and thus will allocate places on a first come first serve basis. Music will be sent out in advance to those who register in order to prepare for the day, with additional support from musicians through the Inspiration Day.

Timings for the day

  • 10.15am Registration opens
  • 10.30am Rehearsal / Sectionals
  • 12.45pm Bring Your Own Lunch
  • 1.45pm Rehearsal / Sectionals
  • 5.00pm Showcase for parents (arrive from 4.45pm), after which students can leave

For those in the south of the county (Southend, Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow) we may be able to offer a coach service to and from the event – please indicate on the form if this would be of interest.

To register for the Inspiration Day, please complete the form below by Friday 1 March 2024:

https://forms.office.com/e/tbqnH3fpRR

There is a second form that appears at the end of the form which is an anonymous participant demographics collecting form. We’d be grateful if you’d complete that short form as part of our monitoring the activities we support and collecting essential information required by Arts Council England.


We are proud to have a number of leading and high-achieving top-level ensembles offering opportunities for young musicians in Essex including:

Essex Youth Orchestra
Essex Youth Choir
Essex Youth Jazz Orchestra
Essex Youth Symphonic Wind Orchestra
Essex Youth Brass Ensemble

This doesn’t happen by accident – we also run a number of starter ensembles in our community music venues as well as intermediate ensembles including our Essex Young People’s Orchestra to bring together young people together in making music with each other.

If you have a young person in your setting who would benefit from joining such an ensemble, please contact Beverley Heard, Music Ensembles Lead Officer, telephone 0333 013 8953 or email: musichub@essex.gov.uk