Student performs at BBC Proms with NYO

While some were relaxing, Lower Sixth bassoonist Leo had a busy summer. It was his final few months as a member of the prestigious National Youth Orchestra, and the summer performance at the BBC Proms is always the climax of a fantastic year. 

Leo says, “This summer, I participated in the final of the three NYO courses of the year – a residential course which lasted 11 days. We had just over a week of intensive rehearsals at Keele University, working on Holst’s The Planets, John Williams’ Star Wars and Caroline Shaw’s The Observatory.  

“Playing alongside seven other bassoons is an experience that you don’t have very often, and I particularly enjoyed the lively energetic character of Mercury in The Planets. From Dalia Stasevska’s first downbeat of the main title theme from Star Wars, I could tell the course was going to be exhilarating, and it was. Combining the musical experience with the unexpected adventures on a canal boat in Birmingham, and the questionable karaoke night, made it an unforgettable summer! 

“As part of the activity, we participated in the NYO Side by Side programme, meeting local young people from Keele, to support their musical ambitions and to be inspired together, which I really enjoyed. However, the highlight of the tour for me was definitely performing in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. 

“The atmosphere was electric, with an utterly packed auditorium, being the fastest selling concert of the 2025 Proms season! As we walked into the Albert Hall for the morning rehearsal, even in the silence, the stage lights immersed us in the interstellar programme, and when the trumpets smashed out their first top C for the Star Wars theme, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. 

“Despite the mildly disappointing food, consisting of a rotation of potato variations, and the long coach journeys to all the concert venues, I feel extremely privileged to have been able to have this opportunity. So, if you’re thinking about applying to NYO, do it!” 

…

The NYO performance at the BBC Proms is available to watch through BBC iPlayer here.

Leo was selected last summer to join the prestigious National Youth Orchestra, celebrated internationally as ‘the world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers’. The opportunity is a year-long adventure with 159 other talented young musicians from across the UK, united in a love of music. They have the opportunity to push their limits, discover new skills and play their part as change-makers for their generation.