Violinist Maya, 15, joins the National Youth Orchestra

Maya has been playing the violin since the age of four.

“My first teacher was Martin Palmer (Ardingly College),” she said, “and I now go to Wellington College where I am enrolled in the Specialist Music Scheme and study under Sophie Langdon from the Royal Academy of Music.”

She said she was thrilled to be part of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO): “It is a unique opportunity to play challenging repertoire all over the UK with friends who share a passion for music with me.”

Over the past eight weeks 750 of the brightest young musicians from all over the UK battled it out for a seat in NYO for 2014.

Following two rounds of auditions and workshops in Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and London, in front of our world-class professional tutors, 165 were identified as the most talented young orchestral musicians nationally.

NYO members from the south-east include principal players of trumpet, oboe, double bass, and cello. Six of the 14 NYO double bass players come from the south-east. Over the coming year they will rehearse and perform with members from every region in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The result of this year’s auditions is an orchestra of 82 male and 83 female musicians whose average age this year is just under 17.

They include 83 returning members from NYO 2013 and 77 who are new to the orchestra.