Ulster Youth Orchestra

Ulster Youth Orchestra
Northern Irish ensemble for older children

The Ulster Youth Orchestra of Northern Ireland was founded to develop the musical potential young people throughout the Northern Ireland area. It is a relatively new arrival to the ranks of Youth Orchestras, as it was founded in 1993 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. In close conjunction with the five Education and Library Boards, this organization works to bring together the most talented young musicians in Northern Ireland between the ages of 14 and 23.

The Orchestra provides residential courses and events, as well as high level musical training from leading professionals in the field as well as distinguished conductors. Despite a troubled financial year in 2006, the Ulster Youth Orchestra's future is not in doubt. The young players remain dedicated and interested in producing the best in orchestral music.

Annual auditions for the Ulster Youth orchestra are held throughout Northern Ireland. Applicants must be born, living, or studying in Northern Ireland, unless special dispensation is given. They are required to play two contrasting pieces of their own choice, sight read from orchestra work, and prepare orchestral excerpts in advance. Players are selected purely on the basis of musical ability, not religion or background, a point of concern in Northern Ireland. Because the Ulster Youth Orchestra plays in a number of different venues, including the UK and Europe, it offers the chance for talented young musicians to be ambassadors from Northern Ireland to the rest of the world.

Since the first course the orchestra offered in 1994, the orchestra has at one time or another involved 600 young musicians from all sections of the Northern Irish community. They have played to audiences totally over 15000 in Northern Ireland, Ireland, England, Scotland and Germany. Their performances have been heard on BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio 3 and other stations and the orchestra has won prestigious international arts awards.

The Ulster Youth Orchestra offers young promising musicians the chance to study with their peers and experience professional performance for themselves. It acts as a method of preparation for later musical careers and helps provide needed experience to Northern Ireland's most talented young musicians. The Ulster Youth Orchestra, while new on the scene of youth music, is a promising option for young musicians in Northern Ireland and a great place to hear contemporary and classical orchestral music performed by some of the best young talent around.