parallax background

Family of Orchestras


SLYO 1 Musicians are lead through vast classic repertoire including substantial symphonies, orchestral showpieces, ballets and film.  Places are offered in order of application:

  1. to members following promotion from SLYO 2
  2. to new pupils aged 14+ at Grade 8+ level
  3. or by informal audition for new pupils on oversubscribed instruments

Who can apply for SLYO 1?

We are always keen to hear from young musicians and Grade 8+. Percussionists should be of Grade 6+ level but equally could be Grade 8+ pianists who are keen to get orchestral experience.

  • Please note grades are a technical indication rather than necessity.
  • SLYO 1’s members are on average aged 13-18
  • If your child’s current level makes them eligible for two orchestras, please email us at jasspa.slyo@jags.org.uk and we will be able to advise which orchestra to apply for.
  • You can only book a place one course at a time and we hold waiting lists for oversubscribed sections.

Daily Structure 

9.30am – 4.30pm. Each day is split into a combination of full and sectional rehearsals, led by Leigh O’Hara and a team of outstanding orchestral tutors.

Tutors for our next course

Leigh O’Hara (Conductor), Christian Persinaru (1st Violin), John Dickinson (2nd Violin), Karen Bradley (Viola) Miriam Lowbury (Cello), Julie Buckley (Double Bass), Maxwell Spiers (Woodwind), Torbjorn Hultmark (Brass), Joel Roberts (Horn) and Donna-Maria Landowski (Percussion).

Performance

Evening concert on the last day of the course, Vaughan Williams Auditiorium at JAGS.

Concert Dress – all black.

Previous Repertoire
Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 in Eb Major, Op. 55 (Eroica), Symphony No.5 in C minor Op.67
Bernstein - Overture to Candide and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Bizet – Extracts from Carmen Suites
Copland – Appalachian Spring
Dvorak – Slavonic Dances Op.46, Symphony No 8 in G Major
Haydn – Symphony 104 in D major – ‘London’
Khachaturian – Masquerade Suite
Mahler – Symphony No.1 in D major Mussorgsky – A Night on a Bare Mountain, Version by Rimsky-Korsakov
Moncayo - Huapango
Mozart – Overture to the Magic Flute
Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition, Orch. Maurice Ravel
Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
Ravel – Mother Goose Suite
Rossini – Overture to William Tell
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47, Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 5 in E Minor Op. 64, Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 (Pathétique), Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Villa-Lobos – Bachianas Brasileiras
Vivaldi – Winter from The Four Seasons, soloist David Juritz
John Williams – Star Wars Suite for orchestra, Three Pieces from Schindler’s List: Theme; Jewish Town; Remembrances and Flying Theme from E.T.
‘Little Mermaid’ – Premiere for Disney at the Royal Albert Hall

SLYO 2 is a full symphony orchestra. It stretches intermediate players of Grade 6-8 level with a technically challenging and well known repertoire. It is the stepping stone to our First Youth Orchestra.  Places are offered in order of application:

  • to members following promotion from SLYO 3
  • to new pupils aged 11-18 playing at Grade 6+ level 

Who can apply for SLYO 2?

Strings, Wind, Brass and Percussion -  Grade 6+.

  • Please note grades are a technical indication rather than necessity.
  • SLYO 2’s members are on average aged 10-17
  • If your child’s current level makes them eligible for two orchestras, please email us at jasspa.slyo@jags.org.uk and we will be able to advise which orchestra to apply for.
  • You can only book a place one course at a time and we hold waiting lists for oversubscribed sections.

Daily Structure 

9.30am – 4.30pm. Each day is split into a combination of full and sectional rehearsals, led by Jonathan Butcher and a team of outstanding orchestral tutors.

Tutors for our next course

Jonathan Butcher (Conductor), Ivo Stankov (1st Violin), Paula Wyatt (2nd Violin), Louis Parker (Viola), Tim Wells (Cello), Joe Cowie (Double Bass),  Liz Regan (Woodwind), Christopher Augustine (Brass), Sabrina Pullen (Horn) and Cameron Sinclair (Percussion).

Performance

Late afternoon concert on the last day of the course, Vaughan Williams Auditiorium at JAGS.

Concert Dress – White open necked shirt/blouse, black bottoms and black school shoes.

Previous Repertoire
Alwyn – Three Scottish Dances
Leroy Anderson – A Christmas Festival, The Syncopated Clock
Arnold – English Dances Suite 1 and 2
Klaus Badelt – Pirates of the Caribbean – Medley, arr. Ted Ricketts
Glen Ballard & Alan Silvestri – Selections from The Polar Express, arr. Michael Story
Bernstein – West Side Story, arr. Jack Mason
Bizet – Farandole from Suite No. 2
Bock – Fiddler on the Roof
Brahms – Hungarian Dances 20 & 18, orc. DvorakNicolai - Overture Merry Wives of Windsor
Britten - March-Pantomime-Waltz Matinées Musical
Coates – Oxford Street March, By the Sleepy Lagoon
Delibes – Prélude and Mazurka from Coppélia, edited Clark McAlister
Delius – The Walk to the Paradise Garden Intermezzo, arr. Beecham, Sleigh Ride & La Calinda from ‘Koanga’, arr. E. Fenby
Elgar – Three Bavarian Dances Op 27 1, Fairies and Giants & The Wild Bears from Wand of Youth, Pomp and Circumstance March No 4
Grieg – Norwegian Dances, ed. C. Woodhouse
Gershwin - Porgy and Bess Symphonic Picture, arr. John Whitney
Ronan Hardiman – Music from The Lord of the Dance arr. Larry Moore
Herold – The Clog Dance
Holst - Chaconne from Suite in E Flat transcribed by Gordon Jacob, The Holst Marching Song opus 22
Gordon Jacob – Passacaglia on a well-known theme
Rosa Juritz – Artemis and Apollo
Lehar – Merry Widow Waltz
Mancini – Moon River, arr. J Moss
Meyerbeer – Coronation March from ‘Le prophète’
Mussorgsky – The Great Gate of Kiev arr. D Stone
Offenbach – Barcarolle from The Tales’s of Hoffmann
Harold Perry – Concertino, Violin Soloist from SLYO 1– William Campbell
Rimsky Korsakov – Dance of the Tumblers/Comedians
Rodgers & Hammerstein – Oklahoma Selection
Richard Rodney Bennett – Farnham Festival Overture, Party Piece, Piano Soloist from SLYO 1 – Rachel Evans.
Schubert – March Militaire
Richard and Robert Sherman -Medley from ‘Mary Poppins’ arr. A. Fones
Michael Short- Frost Fair
Schönberg, Kretzmer, Boublil and Natel – Selections from ‘Les Misérables’
Schubert -Symphony No.8 in B minor (unfinished), March Militaire Shostakovich – Waltz No. 1
Sibelius – Finlandia, Op. 26, No. 7
Strauss – Thunder & Lightening Polka & Tristch-Tratsch Polka
Sullivan – The Overture to ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ ed. Carl Simpson
Franz von Suppé – Light Cavalry
Tchaikovsky – Adagio and Waltz from Sleeping Beauty & Scene-Waltz-Hungarian Dance from Swan Lake Ballet Suite
Vaughan Williams – English Folk Songs Suite – orch. G. Jacob
Vivaldi – Autumn from The Four Seasons – Soloist David Juritz
William Walton – Crown Imperial, Coronation March, arr. David Stone and Spitfire and Fugue
John Williams – Theme from E.T. arr J. Ployhar, Harry Potter arr. M Story and Themes from Harry Potter, arr. Jerry Brubaker
Woodhouse – Rustic Dance

SLYO 3 introduces all orchestral strings to the joys and challenges of ensemble playing through a fun and broad repertoire.  Places are offered in order of application:

  • to members following promotion from SLYO 4
  • to new pupils aged 7+ playing at Grade 4+ level

Who can apply for SLYO 3:

Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass -  Grade 4-6

  • Please note grades are a technical indication rather than necessity.
  • For viola and double bass players aged 11+ we accept Grade 3 to join SLYO 3..
  • SLYO 3 members are on average aged 8-14.
  • If your child’s current level makes them eligible for two orchestras, please email us at jasspa.slyo@jags.org.uk and we will be able to advise which orchestra to apply for.
  • You can only book a place one course at a time and we hold waiting lists for oversubscribed sections.

Daily Structure 

9.30 am – 4.15pm. Each day is split into a combination of full and sectional rehearsals, led by Richard Sizer and a team of outstanding orchestral tutors.

Tutors 

Richard Sizer (Conductor), Michelle Taylor (1st Violin), Julia Atkinson (2nd Violin),  Victoria Stephenson (Viola and 3rd Violin), Sophie Haynes  (Cello) and Alice Kent (Double Bass).

Performance: Always on the last day of the course,

4.30pm Concert on the last day of the course. Venues include the Holst Hall and Vaughan Williams Auditorium at JAGS.

Concert Dress – SLYO t-shirt (£12), black bottoms.

Previous Repertoire
Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth – Skyfall, arr. Larry Moore
Leroy Anderson - Fiddle-Faddle & Plink, Plank, Plunk!
Brian Balmages - Woodsplitter Fanfare, Celtica
Daphne Baker – Carnival Night
Leonard Bernstein – America, arr. Tony Osborne
V. Di Chiara – La Spagnola – arr. Merle J. Isaac
Debussy - Waltz (La Plus Que Lente) arr. Matthew Moreno
Dvorak – Largo from ‘New World Symphony’
Gluck - Dance of the Blessed Spirits
J.A Greenwood - Acrobat, arr. Sizer
Handel – Passacaglia, arr. R. S. Frost & ‘Air’ and ‘Trumpet’ from the Water Music, arr. Tony Urbainzyk
Neal Hefti – Batman
Henry VIII – Pastime with Good Company, arr. Tim Wells
Anita Hewitt-Jones – Serenade and Rumba, The Mary Rose, The Great Western, Jumbo Jig and Dance from ‘The Elephant Suite’
Holst – Brooke Green Suite
Hurwitz - City of Stars from LaLa Land, arr. J. Kazik
Karl Jenkins – Palladio, arr. Robert Longfield
Lennon & McCartney - Eleanor Rigby, arr. by Larry Moore
David Marsh – Show Some Pluck
Richard Meyer - Viola Country
Henry Mancini – Pink Panther
Alan Menken – Beauty and the Beast
Johnny Mercer/Henry Mancini – Moon River, arr. Blake Neely
John Moss – Sleigh Bells Jingling
Mozart – Burleske & Minuet and Trio arr. Sheila Nelson Mussorgsky – A Night on Bald Mountain, arr. Bob Phillips
Offenbach – Can Can Basses, arr. Richard Meyer
Ponchielli – Dance of the Hours, arr. Robert Longfield
Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals, 1st and 5th Movements, Arr. F. J Halferty & Dance Bacchanale, arr. Jamin Hoffman
Richard Sherman – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
R & J Sizer – First Mango in Bromley
Richard Sizer and SLYO 3 – Haunted House
Richard Sizer - Mali Concertini, Mystery Hornpipe, Blue Kazoo, Jingle to the World, Stars: 1 Betelgeuse 2. Eagle Nebula 3. Meteor Shower, Funky Heels, Jingle to the World.Doug Spata – Lemon Twist
Francisco Tárrega – Recuerdos De La Alhambra arr. Tim McCarrick
Tchaikovsky – Secret Agent Sugar Plum, arr. Scott Watson (BMI)
Jaromir Vejvoda - Modřanská Polka – Škoda Láska – The “Beer Barrel Polka” arr. Richard Sizer
Vivaldi – Spring, from The Four Seasons
Robin Wedderburn – By the River & Intrada
Pam Wedgwood – Split That Apple
Wiggins – Little Symphony for Strings Op. 83a & Hungarian Melody
Traditional – Jingle to the World arr. Richard Sizer, Russian Gypsy Song, arr. B Dardess, Two English Folk Dances arr. James Curnow and Castle Lore, setting by Robert W. Smith 15th / 16th century melody – Gaudete, arr. Richard Sizer

SLYO 4 nurtures beginner violins, violas, cellos and double basses, introducing them to the joys and challenges of ensemble playing through a fun repertoire. Sight-reading and aural awareness feature highly on this course along with developing rhythmic confidence and dynamic awareness. Places are awarded in order of application accompanied by teacher recommendation.

Who can apply for SLYO 4:

Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass -  Grade 2-4. 

  • Please note grades are a technical indication rather than necessity.
  • SLYO 4 members are on average aged 7-12
  • If your child’s current level makes them eligible for two orchestras, please email us at jasspa.slyo@jags.org.uk and we will be able to advise which orchestra to apply for.
  • You can only book a place one course at a time and we hold waiting lists for oversubscribed sections.

Daily Structure 

9.30am – 4.15pm. Each day is split into a combination of full and sectional rehearsals, led by Kit Massey and a team of outstanding orchestral tutors.

Tutors 

Kit Massey (Conductor), Penny Gee (1st Violin), Melisande Yavuz (2nd Violin), Kate Allott (Viola and 3rd Violin) Ollie Mansfield (Cello), Eloise Riddell (Double Bass) and Charis Hanning (Piano).

Performance:

3.30pm Concert on the last day of the course, in the Vaughan Williams Auditorium, JAGS. 

Concert Dress – SLYO t-shirt (£12), any colour bottoms.

Previous Repertoire
Kenneth Baird – Fiesta, Heroic Adventure
Brian Balmages – Burst!
Chris M. Bernotas– Wind Dancer
Kathy and David Blackwell – Sea Suite, Relay Race, Skating, Jazz Suite, Trampolining and We are the Champions!
Sara Bongo and Robert Moore – Penguin and Polar Bear March
Stephen Bulla – Wonderland Overture and Dormouse Waltz
Alison Carver – Harvest Home
Mary Cohen – Chinese Street and Summer Fun
Corelli – Gavotte, arr. Bob Phillips
James Curnow – Red Balloon, Whirlwind
Ralph Ford – Creepers in the Castle
Handel – Minuet and Finale, arr. Katherine and Hugh Colledge, Solemn March from Judas Maccabaeus arr. S. Nelson
Edward Huws Jones – Toodle Pip
Mike Kamuf - Moonlight Shadows, Sleigh Song
James Kazik - Gingersnaps, Ludwig’s Dance Party and Nobles of the Sword
Victor López – Danza Africana
Robert D. McCashin – Fandango!
Aidan Massey – Daddy’s got the Hiccups
Kit Massey and Richard Strauss – Christmas in Space
Kit Massey – A Crazy Day out at the Funfair, Cold Sprouts, Barbeque Season, Resolution Gospel, Rainy Summer Blues, Hot Cross Bun
Calypso, Swamp Thing!
Richard Meyer – Joust
Sheila Nelson – Battle Cry and Polka
James Lord Pierpont – Jingle Bells , arr. Bob Cerulli
Keith Sharp – King Henry’s Choice, Music and Dance from the Tudor Court
Ffion Shute - Ghost Barcarolle
SLYO 4 – The Voyage of the Adventure Galley
Sarah Watts - 10 Pancake Tim, Fiddly Wattsits, Simply Shrimp, 10 Pancake Tim and Just Hello
Pamela Wedgewood – Pink Lady
Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett - Summer Holiday, arr. Alison Carver
Mark Williams – Fiddles at Shady Gulch
Bill Withers – Lean On Me, arr. Larry Moore
Traditional - Boysie, Alouette, Now the Green Blade Riseth, Little Boogie Donkey, Three Reel, Camptown Ladies, Old Joe Clarke, John Ryans’ Polka, Christmas Calypso, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Sourwood Mountain, French Dance