•  Record numbers apply for NYO’s 2026 programmes
• Alpesh Chauhan OBE appointed Principal Conductor and Musical Advisor
• 160 teenage musicians from every corner of the UK selected for NYO 2026

The National Youth Orchestra (NYO) have unveiled the next generation of teenage musicians who will play their part in the Orchestra of 2026, with demand for places at an all-time high.

Demand for places in the Orchestra was the highest it has ever been with a record number of applications. Teenage musicians across the country are showing their passion for playing in an orchestra is stronger than ever, with NYO’s Inspire programme also receiving the highest number of applicants since its inception just over ten years ago.

NYO Inspire provides free musical opportunities to teenage musicians, primarily from state
schools. 43% of the Orchestra of 2026 have come through NYO Inspire showing what young musicians can achieve when given opportunities for their musicality to thrive. Musicians hail from every corner of the country — from Bromley to Ballymena and Abergavenny to Aberdeen. 38% of the teenage musicians in the Orchestra are Black, Asian or ethnically diverse. Half of the seats in the Orchestra of 2026 and 55% of the leadership positions are held by musicians from state schools.

This year, the Orchestra will be guided by Alpesh Chauhan OBE, who has been appointed
Principal Conductor and Musical Advisor. This appointment builds on the partnership forged during NYO’s To the Beat tour last Spring, when Alpesh conducted the Orchestra at Camden’s Roundhouse, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and Wigan Youth Zone.

Alpesh will work closely with our leadership team to shape the orchestra’s artistic direction
and champion NYO’s mission to make orchestral music powerfully relevant to all teenage
lives. He will inspire NYO musicians to show their peers that orchestral music can speak in the language of their generation. In April 2026, Alpesh will conduct the Orchestra on their Spring tour, performing Romeo and Juliet and other works in Manchester and London.

Alpesh Chauhan OBE said: “I am so inspired by the unique energy these exceptional young musicians bring. They show a complete willingness to work hard and a hunger to always be better. The way they explore the music they play and share that with other young people is very special.”

In addition to concert performances, the musicians will share orchestral music with over
10,000 teenagers across the UK. They will perform for pupils in school concerts, play their part as musical role models at youth centres and take orchestral music into their communities by running their own workshops at their local primary schools.

CEO and Creative Director, Sarah Alexander OBE, said: “The extraordinary demand for NYO’s programmes shows how deeply orchestral music connects with young people. The Orchestra of 2026 will carry that spirit forward, sharing orchestral music wherever teenagers are. NYO is one of the largest collectives of young people working together towards a common goal, across any artform. It’s a radical thing — 160 teenagers uniting to reach their generation through music. 

This is an orchestra of teenage discovery, where collaboration and creativity flourish on a remarkable scale. We’re delighted that Alpesh will play a key part in this journey, leading one of the orchestra’s major projects and supporting NYO’s teenage musicians as an advocate for their extraordinary creativity.”

NYO violin player, Lana, 17, from Liverpool, said: “What excites me the most about being a part of the NYO community, is the chance to play music for young people, by young people. By being in NYO we are given a voice, and an opportunity to be role models, something that goes beyond our playing.”

Shimmer is the Orchestra’s first tour of the year. The Orchestra will reunite with conductor,
Alexandre Bloch who conducted NYO’s 2024 Prom, as part of the As One tour. They will play Debussy’s Iberia, Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole, Anna Clyne’s DANCE and Karim Al Zand’s City Scenes at London’s Barbican, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall and Warwick Arts Centre in January 2026. Tickets for all NYO’s concerts remain free for teenagers, to ensure there are no barriers to them experiencing the power of a live orchestra.

You can meet the Orchestra of 2026 here.

Shimmer | The National Youth Orchestra
· Barbican Hall, London – 4 January
· Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry – 5 January
· Nottingham Royal Concert Hall – 6 January

The National Youth Orchestra — about

The National Youth Orchestra (NYO) are the UK’s leading organisation championing
orchestral music as a powerful agent for teenage development.
Through a welcoming community, every teenager can play their part in shaping their world
through music. They develop much more than musical skills – growing confidence, optimism and skills to play their part in life. 

The National Youth Orchestra’s pioneering spirit has made it a leader in high-quality music
education and a champion of teenage potential for over 70 years. NYO alumni can be found in leading roles in orchestras all over the world and in all walks of life.

The Orchestra is at the heart of this community, celebrated internationally as the ‘world’s
greatest orchestra of teenagers.’ Musicians play their part as changemakers for their
generation, performing for, mentoring and inspiring young people across the UK.
Even more teenage musicians get involved through NYO Inspire — a free musical adventure for teenage musicians who are ready to go further. Musicians accelerate their skills with world-class tutoring. They play incredible music with other people who love orchestral music as much as they do, growing through opportunities that match where they’re at on their musical journey.

Thousands more play their part through NYO Open, where NYO musicians take a leading role performing and running workshops in schools, youth clubs and music hubs. Tickets to NYO’s performances in concert halls are Free for Teens, ensuring there are no barriers to young people across the country having the opportunity to experience the transformational power of orchestral music.