Chineke! Junior Orchestra Residential Course

At the heart of our mission - "Championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music" - lies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of exceptional talent. We warmly invite young musicians aged 11-22, especially from Black and/or global majority backgrounds, to audition for this transformative orchestral course.

WHAT TO EXPECT
A week-long residential course, rehearsing and preparing for a concert at the end of the week. 

Staying at the boarding school Royal Russell School, you will receive expert instrument-specific tuition throughout the week from professional Chineke! musicians, as well as full orchestral rehearsals.

There will also be lots of fun activities throughout the week to get to know the rest of the orchestra - movie night, open-mic night, a barbecue and more!

At the end of the week, the orchestra will perform a concert at Fairfield Halls, a fantastic concert hall in South London.

Chineke! 10-Year Anniversary
This year, Chineke! is celebrating its tenth anniversary - so in addition to the summer course and concert, the Chineke! Junior Orchestra will be performing another concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 28 September.

COST
The Chineke! Junior Orchestra Summer Residential is free to attend for successful applicants.

There are also a limited number of travel bursaries available for participants travelling to the course from outside London.

EVENT DETAILS 
Monday 18 - Saturday 23rd August - Residential course at Royal Russell School. Accommodation and meals provided.
Saturday 23rd August - Concert at Fairfield Halls
Sunday 28 September - Concert at the Royal Festival Hall

AUDITIONS
Online auditions are now OPEN!

Please submit your application via form.

We’re looking for orchestral musicians aged 11-22 of at least the following standard:

• Junior string and percussion players: ABRSM Grade 6 or above (or equivalent)
• Wind, brass and senior string players: ABRSM Grade 8 or above (or equivalent)

How to audition
Please submit a video audition of you playing two short pieces of contrasting styles (no longer than 2 or 3 minutes each, please). We are also happy for you to play 2-3 minute excerpts from longer pieces, if you prefer.

Use any simple recording device, such as a smartphone. We value the authenticity of your playing over the production quality of your video. No editing, please: we want to see the two pieces back-to-back, performed on the same recording.

The video should contain the following:

- Introduce yourself: your name, age, and instrument; the pieces you'll be playing; and a few words about why you'd like to take part in the Chineke! Junior Orchestra this Summer.

- Perform your pieces - we're looking for engaging performances; really imagine that you're performing for a crowd, not just for a video!

Please note that these videos will only be viewed internally and will be deleted after the audition process has finished.

Click HERE to submit your audition!

The deadline for submitting your audition to take part in this Summer Residential course is Friday 28 March 2025.

 If you have any questions about auditioning or taking part in the Chineke! Junior Orchestra Summer Residential Course, please contact Chris Bland, Learning & Participation Manager - [email protected]