Coronavirus: Mass event will help spread the joy of music

Daisy, aged 16, said: “I have been playing the flute for eight years and I was awarded a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain representing East Sussex.

“With concert halls and schools closed, we haven’t been able to meet physically as an orchestra, but our responsibility as the world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers remains, and I wanted to share with you the creative ways we are continuing our mission to bring joy and inspiration to people’s lives during lockdown, a time when they need it the most.

“On Friday April 17 at 5pm, we’re calling on every musician in the UK to join in a national live performance from their doorsteps, on their balconies, or out their windows, playing as a socially distanced orchestra. Led by us 164 NYO musicians, we invite everyone to share a heartfelt performance of the Ode To Joy, dedicated to people who need it the most: our frontline NHS staff, key workers, isolated family members, or friends struggling with loneliness.

“Throughout the week, every musician in NYO will take part in a digital residency where we’ll meet together in webinars and smaller creative groups, all inspired by the themes in Beethoven’s Symphony No 9, and we’ll be creating the resources everyone needs in order to take part. There will also be a BBC broadcast of our archive BBC Proms performance, and a partnership with Marin Alsop and the Southbank Centre to share ‘musical postcards’ of the music that brings us greatest joy.

“We’d love to see musicians of all ages and abilities taking part in the joy-a-thon, so grateful for anything you can do to help spread the word. You can find out more about it and how to take part on our website.”

Daisy added: “This is my third year of being in NYO and I have loved every minute! This NYO Ode to Joyathon is such a great opportunity for us as young musicians to connect digitally when we can't be together creating music in person. It would be so great to have as many musicians playing together this Friday at 5pm.”

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