Schools and Nurseries Programmes
See also: Primary, Secondary, Early years, Western European Art Music, Online
The RSNO supports and develops the musical education of children and young people with activity that lays the groundwork for a lifelong relationship with music.
Aligned with the National Inclusion Framework for Education, the RSNO’s activities provide children and young people with opportunities to be creative and imaginative, to have fun and be inspired, and to develop skills for learning, life and work.
Beginner’s Guides
See also: Primary, Secondary, Early years, Western European Art Music, Online
The RSNO’s Beginner’s Guides provide a fun and interactive way of learning how to play the instruments of the Orchestra. Scroll the slides below to view guides to the flute, oboe, bassoon and trumpet. More of this content will be added soon.
Families
See also: Music and Health/Neurodiversity, participatory, Western European Art Music, CPD, online.
The RSNO is committed to providing accessible orchestral and musical experiences for the whole family through performances at concert halls, music workshops, online and through the Astar app.
Astar
See also: Early years, primary, Music and Health/Neurodiversity, participatory, Western European Art Music, CPD, online.
The free RSNO Astar app introduces very young children and babies to the world of music. The app features a selection of popular classical music, with accompanying colourful animations of Scottish animals moving along to the music. Parents, guardians and carers are encouraged to listen to the app with their baby or young child as this helps with communication and bonding, listening skills and awareness, co-ordination, speech, and also creates a happy, less-stressed environment. The app is available here:
RSNO Challenges
Early years, primary, participatory, Western European Art Music, CPD, online.
Filmed during the first lockdown in Spring 2020, RSNO musicians invite children and their families to take part in fun, musical and artistic challenges at home.
Young People
Secondary, Online
The RSNO aims to inspire the next generation of musicians and concert-goers.
The activities for young people provide a range of ways to get involved in performing, enjoying and creating music. The RSNO also aims to support talented young people from across Scotland to build on their skills as creators and performers, and to help them gain experience of what it’s like to work in an arts organisation.
Young Creatives
See also: Secondary, Performance specialism, Music business, ensemble experience.
Young Creatives is a creative arts and leadership programme for young people in Scotland aged 14-21 where the young people are in charge. You can apply as a musician (Grade 4+ on instrument) or a programmer (no musical experience necessary). The Young Creatives will:
- Get the opportunity to gain work experience with Royal Scottish National Orchestra musicians and staff
- Plan and perform a concert with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
- Make friends and develop skills
The Young Creatives Musicians spend the year working as a team, where they will participate in workshops and masterclasses, before beginning work on the repertoire, which will be performed at the end of the year in a side-by-side concert with the RSNO.
The Young Creatives Programmers focus on the ‘behind the scenes’ and gain work experience opportunities throughout the RSNO departments. As a team, they will plan and produce the concert, create marketing materials, and design and carry out the staging of the performance.
Notes From Scotland
See also: Composition, Secondary
Notes from Scotland is a free composition scheme for young composers aged 14-18 years living in Scotland. Through the project, young composers develop their composition skills and meet other young musicians and composers. For the 2023:24 Season, the RSNO will be joined by Dunedin Consort to give the young composers the opportunity to learn about and compose for period instruments.
Applications for this year closed in July 2023, but there will be future opportunities.
The RSNO/RCS Partnership – Apprenticeship Scheme
See also: Western European Art Music, Instrumental Specialism. Ensemble experience, Musicianship
The RSNO and RCS Apprenticeship scheme bridges the transition between conservatoire student performance and professional experience, for young musicians showing promise as orchestral musicians.
Each year students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are invited to audition for the apprenticeship scheme in the same way that the RSNO would audition for real vacancies within the Orchestra, with candidates being set challenging solo and orchestral repertoire as well as being presented with sight-reading in the audition.
All candidates are provided with panel reports regarding their audition with suggestions of ways to improve. Successful students are invited to rehearse with the RSNO for three projects throughout the Season, as well as receiving advice and mentoring from RSNO musicians.
The Apprenticeship Scheme is open to students on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland BMus Hons and MMus courses.
The RSNO/RCS Partnership – Side by Side
See also: Western European Art Music, Instrumental Specialism, Ensemble experience, Musicianship
The RSNO and RCS run an annual side-by-side day where each RSNO musician sits alongside a player from the RCS Symphony Orchestra to perform major works from the orchestral repertoire, directed by a RSNO conductor. The RSNO also has a long-standing partnership with the RCS conducting department, and each year a day is dedicated to offering the Masters students and Conducting Fellows the chance to conduct the full RSNO.
RSNO & SCO Youth Assembly
See also: Participatory
In a new joint initiative with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Youth Assembly will consist of eight young people, aged between 18-23, who are based in Scotland. Members will:
- Provide insight– use their knowledge of what appeals to young people to help both RSNO and SCO make decisions and develop new ideas
- Raise awareness– use their networks to help young people and those that work with young people understand and engage with the work of the RSNO and SCO
- Gain experience– of leadership and governance within the creative industries
Singers
The RSNO runs many opportunities for adult and young singers.
RSNO Chorus
See also: Choral, Voice, Ensemble Experience, CPD, Performance specialism, Western European Art Music.
In 2018, the RSNO Chorus celebrated its 175th anniversary, making it one of the oldest symphonic choruses in the world. The RSNO Chorus remains one of the busiest and most respected choruses in the UK and performs around 15 times per Season with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The 130-member Chorus perform a wide range of repertoire, from large scale choral works to well-known film scores.
RSNO Youth Chorus
See Also: Choral, Voice, Ensemble experience, Primary, Secondary, Western European Art Music.
The RSNO Youth Chorus (formerly Junior Chorus) offers its members the opportunity to perform regularly with a professional symphony orchestra. The Youth Chorus offers young people aged 7-18 the opportunity to sing weekly with a highly trained group, giving concerts and making recordings. The RSNO Youth Chorus aims to encourage singing to the best of the singers’ ability, to learn to read music, and to develop and train the voice. The emphasis is ultimately on singing for fun, and on the establishment of good pitching and a good ear using the Kodály Method.
The RSNO Youth Chorus is divided into groups: Children’s Chorus, Youth Chorus and Changed Voices.
Fees are £210 with bursaries available.
RSNO Chorus Academy
See also: Choral, Voice, Ensemble Experience, Participatory, Musicianship, Western European Art Music.
The RSNO Chorus Academy is open to all, without audition and aims to encourage singers who would like to build their confidence in all aspects of singing, including choral techniques, singing techniques and musicianship, as well as reading a musical score. There is a per session fee of £5.
Composers
See also: Composition, CPD.
In addition to the Notes from Scotland initiative highlighted above, there are also CPD opportunities for practicing composers.
Film Composers Lab
See also: Composition, CPD, Western European Art Music.
Aimed at early-career composers who wish to expand their skills in film composition, Film Composers Lab is a professional development scheme. It offers an invaluable opportunity for five composers in the early stages of their career to gain hands-on experience of composing for screen while working with a professional orchestra and learning from industry experts.
Communities
See also: Participatory, Ensemble Experience, Western European Art Music
All Together Now: Community Orchestra
See also: Participatory, Ensemble Experience, Western European Art Music, Orchestra.
The RSNO Community Orchestra provides an opportunity for amateur musicians of all ages to play together, whether you played an instrument at school and haven’t picked it up in years or are a beginner to intermediate player. The Orchestra meets on Sundays throughout the RSNO Season and works towards a sharing event at the end of the term. Sessions operate under a pay-what-you-can model with a suggested donation of £5.
https://www.rsno.org.uk/community-orchestra-all-together-now/