Centre for Young Musicians London Schools Symphony Orchestra

Join London’s premier youth orchestra for young musicians aged 14–19 and work with distinguished conductors and illustrious soloists during the Winter, Spring and Summer holidays.

Applications for LSSO holiday courses 2025/26 open Monday 1 September 2025, and close Wednesday 1 October 2025.

LSSO

Key information:

Course dates:
Winter, Spring and Summer Holidays
Age:
14–19
Art form:
Music
Deadline:
Wednesday 1 October 2025
Mode of study:
Holiday Courses
Venue:
Guildhall School of Music & Drama / Morley College / Barbican Hall (+ Summer Tour)
Contact details:
lsso@gsmd.ac.uk

About the London Schools Symphony Orchestra 

Join London’s premier youth orchestra for young musicians aged 14–19 and enjoy the opportunity to work with distinguished conductors and illustrious soloists during the Winter, Spring and Summer holidays.

Hailed by Sir Simon Rattle as "an incomparable ambassador for the dynamism and excellence of British youth", the London Schools Symphony Orchestra (the LSSO) has for over seventy years been regarded as one of the country’s foremost youth orchestras. LSSO alumni can be found working in professional orchestras across the UK and beyond. 

The orchestra performs regularly at the Barbican Concert Hall in the City of London. Tour destinations have included Europe, Japan, the USA and Argentina. The repertoire is wide and varied, giving young players the opportunity to play orchestral masterpieces, take part in semi-staged productions of operas, and perform contemporary works, many commissioned especially for the LSSO. 

Recent guest conductors include Matthew Lynch, Christopher Warren-Green, Sian Edwards, Dominic Wheeler and Timothy Redmond. 

Please note that commitment to all three courses is preferred but not essential. Musicians are expected to attend at least two courses in the year and places will not normally  be given to musicians wo can only attend one course. 

Course Rehearsal Dates & Public Performances

We encourage attendance of all three courses where possible. This is to ensure that you get a full insight into being part of a professional orchestra and make significant progress within your development as a musician. 

We understand that not everyone may be able to commit to all three courses. Flexibility to commit to two courses or less will be given on a case by case basis, depending on the students talent and the number of students signed up for the year.  

You will be asked to let us know your availability for each of the courses once you are invited for audition.  

All three courses are made up of rehearsals, where you will learn from industry professionals and work towards a public performance at a concert hall. Course Three includes a Summer tour to Catalunya, Spain. This is at an extra cost to the course fee. 

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