NYO 2026 Open Side by Side, Bolton

Tuesday 24 February 2026, Kearsley Academy, Bolton

This coming February, The National Youth Orchestra is coming to Bolton and we want to meet YOU!

If you are a teenage musician and enjoy making music, then why not join us to take part in this special side by side opportunity with musicians from the National Youth Orchestra.

There will be a sharing performance at the end of the rehearsal for friends and family to attend free of charge to show what you have learned and achieved throughout the Side by Side.

This activity is completely free. Musicians aged 12-18, playing at a Grade 3+ level are welcome to join us. You don’t need to have taken any formal exams! We are encouraging this opportunity primarily for orchestral musicians, but do encourage anyone who is keen to get in touch, and we can see what we can do!

For more information on how we store your data please see our privacy policy here.

Musician Information

First Name

Last Name

Is there a name you would prefer to be called?

Date of Birth

What instrument do you play? If you do not play an instrument listed, please contact open@nyo.org.uk before signing up.

If you know, please tell us your approximate standard on your instrument (you don't need to have passed formal exams)

If you selected 'Other', please give more detail below

Would you like to include a secondary instrument that you'd be happy to play if we asked you to?

YesNo

Tell us which instrument:

If you know, please tell us your approximate standard on this instrument (you don't need to have passed formal exams)

If you have selected 'Other', please give more details below

Do you participate in any of your local Music Education Hub's activity? If so, which hub do you attend?

Name of School (if you currently attend school)

If you selected 'Other', please give us more information:

NYO Event

Musician further details

Musician mobile number

Email address - NYO send all correspondence to one email address only. This can be the musician's email address, or a parent/carer email address if you would like.

Postcode

How would you describe your ethnicity

Tell us more on ethnicity, if you'd like:

We ask about your gender as part of our safeguarding process. If you identify as a gender which is different to your sex at birth you will be treated with full and equal respect.

Gender

If you answered 'other', please tell us more

If you would like to, please let us know your preferred pronouns

If you answered 'Not Listed', please tell us your preferred pronouns here:

Please let us know about any disabilities or health conditions you would like us to be aware of in advance of the project:

Parent/Carer Contact Information

Please provide contact details. When we need to get in touch, we will always contact your primary parent/carer in the first instance. We will only contact the secondary parent/carer in the event of an emergency. Your emergency contact should be a third person we can contact if we cannot contact your primary or secondary parent/carer. We won’t use those details for contacting you at other times unless absolutely necessary.

Primary Parent/Carer Contact Information

First name

Last name

Relationship to musician

Email address

Mobile number

Sign Outs

If you are 17 and under on the day of your departure, you will either need to be collected by your parent(s)/carer(s) or get consent from your parent/carer acknowledging that you have permission to travel independently. We will email your primary parent/carer to verify that you have permission to sign out independently.

If you are 18 or over on the day of your departure, for the purposes of signing out from the project, we don't need any permission from parents/carers. (Your parent(s)/carer(s) are, of course, very welcome to still collect you!)

We have a sharing performace at 16.00 for friends and family.

Please select the statment appropriate to you:

I am 18 or over during this activity and I will sign myself out at the end.I am 17 or under during this activity and my parent/carer will collect me.I am 17 or under during this activity and my parent/carer gives me permission to sign out independently and will send this to support@nyo.org.uk.

Agreement

In completing this form, I agree to the following when taking part in NYO Activity:

I agree to undertake all activities in a professional manner, fully prepared, ready and on time. I agree to bring all necessary equipment including appropriate ear protection. I take responsibility for protecting my hearing and have read the NYO Hearing Guidelines.
I agree to act responsibly at all times and adhere to the NYO Behaviour Guidelines.
I understand that should my actions constitute a breach of the behaviour expectations, they will not be tolerated and the necessary arrangements will be made for me to leave the NYO activity. In this unlikely event, I will be wholly responsible for the financial implications and any fees paid will not be refunded. NYO management retains the discretion to act according to these circumstances.
I understand that NYO has the right to contact parent/carers or other professionals regarding safeguarding issues.
I agree to inform NYO of any mental or physical health updates that may affect my time in NYO ahead of every project.
I understand that NYO accepts no responsibility for the security of belongings such as instruments, electronics, money or any other personal possessions. I have taken measures to ensure that all instruments I bring on NYO activity are properly insured against loss or damage.
NYO photographs and films a range of its activities for publicity and funding purposes. I give consent for this unless I write to orchestra@nyo.org.uk and agree to supply information about my experience as and when requested for funders, the media and digital channels as NYO requires.

I agree with all the above statementsI agree with all the above statements but I do not give consent for my photo to be taken and used by NYO for publicity purposes in the future.