The National Youth Strings Academy (NYSA), founded in 1995, is a specialist string chamber orchestra. Initially, established as a Charitable Trust, it became a company limited by guarantee in 2005 - Charity no. 1110462. Its aims are to provide specialist, quality training for talented, young string-players between the ages of 9 and 21, and to give them regular experience in the art of public performance.

A NYSA member rehearses

The most outstanding aspect of the NYSA experience is in the standard of coaching available to these young people - from a dedicated team of professional musicians with a lifetime's experience of chamber orchestra playing, three of whom are past principals of the Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields. Sir Neville Marriner is NYSA's principal patron.

NYSA celebrated its Tenth Anniversary year in 2005 with a concert at St John's, Smith Square, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner. The all English music programme included Tippett's Concerto for Double String Orchestra, which enabled present and past members to take part in this prestigious event. The Daily Mail featured an Education Notebook article about this concert, written by Susan Elkin.

In July and August 2006, NYSA visited San Francisco to take part in an International Youth Music Festival at San Francisco State University. In 2007, at the invitation of Lady Walton, NYSA played concerts in Ischia and Capri, two of which were conducted by Sir Neville Marriner. The programme for these concerts included Walton's Sonata, originally commissioned by the Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields.

The NYSA bass section 2001

Membership of NYSA's main orchestra (Senior Courses) is by audition and is open to all string-players aged 11-21 with a playing standard of Grade 8 and above, who are considered to have the right balance of commitment and potential to benefit from what NYSA offers them. NYSA runs two Senior courses a year, in April and July. The April course consists of sectional and full orchestra training as a preparation for the July course, which involves concerts as well as training. NYSA tours, when they occur, take place after the end of the July course. Auditions are held in December of each year for a place in the main orchestra for the following year.

2007 has seen the introduction of a new Intermediate Course for players aged 9 - 15 with a playing level of Grade 5 to 7. The Intermediate Course is a four-day course which introduces ensemble skills to less experienced players and develops their musicianship through Kodaly aural training and Dalcroze Eurhythmics sessions. No audition is required to attend the Intermediate Course.

For more information about NYSA's history please read this article, entitled A NYSA way, written by NYSA director Viviane Ronchetti