ESO Youth

We are rehearsing in the beautiful Bradshaw Hall at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for our concert this evening.

Come and hear us at 7pm 🎶

The ESO website is back!
If you’d like to book tickets for this evening’s concert, please purchase here: https://eso.co.uk/product/esoyouth-21aug26-birm/
They will also be available on the door.

21st August 2026 - ESO Youth Symphony Orchestra in Birmingham - English Symphony Orchestra Unreserved seating. Need help placing your order? E-mail us on [email protected]

Quizmaster Finn is taking the young musicians through their paces with some very interesting tasks!

Some examples here 😂

- On the violin, starting on the G # on the E string, then move down 3 strings, then up a perfect 4th,
then up one string, then up a perfect 4th, then down a perfect 5th, then up one string, then down a minor second. If this note was the leading note, what major key would you be playing in?

- Italian composer or type of pasta?
Cherubini
Corzetti

We have had another busy day!

Ben from the Musicians' Union visited us today to speak about what the union does for working musicians and others who work in the music industry.

Our young musicians were also fortunate enough to attend a session with the soprano soloist for the Strauss, Nadine Benjamin, on performance practice exploring different approaches to music and the understanding of what it is all about.

In the evening, we had a great rehearsal with Nadine on the Strauss.

Come & hear us tomorrow at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire at 7pm. Tickets will be available on the door from 6pm. £12.50 full, free for under 18 and carers. See you there!

We are starting Wednesday with a very interesting and informative talk from our Harp tutor, Rita Schindler (who is Hungarian), on Béla Bartók and his music.

We have learned about Bartók’s life, the history of Hungary and how “Concerto for Orchestra” was influenced by lots of traditional Hungarian culture.

Thank you, Rita 😊

It’s Terrific Tuesday at ESO Youth Symphony Orchestra Course - Day 2!

We had an excellent day of sectional rehearsals. What a difference a day makes - well done to all the musicians for their hard work today. They’re sounding amazing 🤩

And here we are!
Welcome to 90 youth musicians for this year’s ESO Youth Symphony Orchestra Course.
What an exciting (and rather challenging!) programme of Verdi, Strauss and Bartók 🎶

Well done to all the musicians today!
Even on the hottest day of the year, these musicians worked hard and played amazingly in the end of course concert.
We are so proud of you 🎵

More images from both the Beginners and the Intermediates will be up soon 🤩

Welcome to our Intermediates Orchestra 🎶
We’ve had a hot 🥵 but brilliant first day. More tomorrow!

Welcome to our Beginners musicians 🎶
It’s a lovely warm (perhaps a little too warm!) day and they’re all working hard and playing excellently.