NYOS: LAB
About NYOS: LAB
Applications Now Open!
We are looking for enthusiastic young people aged 14-18-years who are interested in getting creative in the world of improvisation, ready to go wherever their artistic minds take them. We welcome applications from players of all music styles including classical, jazz, contemporary, Scottish traditional, folk and world music.
Ages: 14-18
Grade Equivalent: Grade 6 (No exams required)
Requirements: Comfortable in playing your instrument to its full extent. Born, living or studying in Scotland, or with a Scottish family connection.
2024 NYOS: LAB Dates
- 12-15 October, Hucheson’s Grammar School, Glasgow
- 15-16 February
About NYOS: LAB
NYOS: LAB allows you to explore approaches to creative music-making and more to push your musical abilities and create something new. You will have to chance to meet like-minded people and work with professional musicians in groups of various sizes to make music in creatively: remixing existing melodies, writing pieces collaboratively, and free improvising. You will then be invited back to NYOS: LAB in February to record what you create.
NYOS: LAB goes beyond the conventions of orchestral music to explore improvised and co-created approaches to ensemble music-making. Combining sound palettes and techniques that draw on classical, jazz, the Scottish folk tradition, and music from around the globe, NYOS: LAB provides space for aspiring young musicians to explore their musical abilities and creative voice all under the artistic direction of double-bass player and composer Emma Smith.
“Making music is like going for a walk. In classical music, you know where you're going and you know how you're going to get there, but each time - depending on the weather for example, or time of year - you can see something new. Jazz improvising, or more accurately extemporising, is when you know where you're going, but you don't know exactly the route you're going to take to get there. Free improvising is when you don't know where you're going, you are just simply going wherever the mood takes you.”
Emma Smith, NYOS: LAB Lead Artist
Applications
APPLY FOR NYOS 2024/25
All applicants are asked to provide a recorded performance of their choice that is no more than 5 minutes and demonstrates their playing ability and style. Applicants must also complete an application form<>which asks for key information about applicants as well as answers to these TWO questions:
- Q1: Why are you applying to participant in NYOS LAB? (around 250 words)
We want to know what you hope to get out of participating in the NYOS LAB course, what your aspirations are for the weekend.
- Q2: Why did select the piece of music that you performed for your submission? (around 250 words)
We want to know about your musical interests and your personal reasons for selecting to the piece you dd, or why you chose to improvise.
Recorded spoken statements can be submitted in place of written answers to these to questions but these should also stick to the word count (around 2 minutes of speaking).
Guidance on recording your performance and/or spoken statement can be found below:
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 11 September at 3pm
The fee for NYOS LAB is £350 which is subsidised to have over 75% of the full cost covered. However, no student who successfully applies for any NYOS project or ensemble will miss out due to financial circumstances, and NYOS offer a range of bursaries to support with course fees, as well as assistance with travel and accommodation costs required to participate. See below for full information.
Financial Assistance
Finance should never be a barrier to joining the NYOS community and we encourage you to apply for a bursary if you are eligible. Applications are free and course bursaries of up to 100% are available, as well as travel and accommodation support for those travel for further afield to participated.
Find out more about our Financial Assistance.
If anything is currently preventing you from applying to or auditioning for NYOS, please do let us know by emailing ensembles@nyos.co.uk
