The Orchestra of 2026 are tuning in for of a big year!
We’re delighted to introduce a new generation of teenage musicians who will take their seats in the Orchestra of 2026, following record demand for places.
From Bromley to Ballymena and Abergavenny to Aberdeen, 160 musicians from across the UK are ready to play their part as role models and become Changemakers for their generation.
They will go beyond the concert hall to share the power of orchestral music with over 10,000 teenagers across the year. They will perform in schools, inspire other young people in youth centres, and bring their love of orchestral music to their local communities.
We’re committed to fostering an inclusive and representative teenage community. In the Orchestra of 2026, half of the seats and 55% of leadership positions are held by musicians from state schools, and 38% of our teenage musicians are Black, Asian, or ethnically diverse.
43% of the Orchestra of 2026 are alumni of NYO Inspire, a testament to what young musicians can achieve when given opportunities for their musicality to thrive.
The first activity of 2026 will be NYO Unite, where the entire NYO community of teenage musicians come together for a series of music making activities across the UK, alongside young musicians in their local area.
This year, the Orchestra will be guided by Alpesh Chauhan OBE, who has been appointed Principal Conductor and Musical Advisor. He will inspire NYO musicians to show their peers that orchestral music can speak in the language of their own generation. This appointment builds on the partnership forged during NYO’s To the Beat performances. In April 2026, Alpesh will conduct the Orchestra on the Spring tour.
In January, the Orchestra of 2026 will embark on the Shimmer tour in London, Coventry and Nottingham playing extraordinary orchestral music to audiences across the country. Don’t miss out, tickets are now on sale and Free for Teens.