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Centre for Young Musicians 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 Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays.
Apply by 2 October 2023 for all courses. Late applications will be considered if spaces are available. Please get in touch if you have missed the deadline.

Key information:
- Course dates:
- Christmas, Easter and Summer Holidays
- Course times:
- 10.00am–5.00pm
- Age:
- 14–19
- Art form:
- Music
- Fees:
- £570 per course (+ additional fee TBC for Summer tour)
- Deadline:
- Apply by Monday 2 October 2023 for courses in December–January 2023, April 2024, and July–September 2024 (late applications will be considered)
- Level of study:
- Short Courses & Summer Schools, Workshops & Saturday Centres (ages 4-18)
- Venue:
- 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 Christmas, Easter 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, commitment to all three courses is preferred but not essential.
Applicants should have reached at least Grade 7 on their instrument, which should be demonstrated via the answers on their application form and at audition.
Upon receipt of your application, a friendly member of our team will be in touch to invite you for audition.
Auditions are relaxed and informal. Applicants will be asked to play up to 5 minutes of contrasting music of their own choice. They will also be sent orchestral excerpts to prepare.
Accompanists are not provided but applicants may bring their own.
Fees
£570* per course
*Please note, Course Three includes a tour to Belgium & the Netherlands which will carry additional fees — these will be confirmed shortly.
Payment schedule
You will be invoiced separately for each course via the billing details provided on the application form.
Bursaries
Means tested bursaries are available on request.
Late applications throughout the year will be considered if spaces are available. Please get in touch if you have missed the deadline.
Applications for courses in December 2023–September 2024 will open on 1 September 2023.
Apply for the London Schools Symphony Orchestra
Please complete our online application formCourse 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 an industry professional and work towards a public performance at a concert hall. Course Three includes a Summer tour, location to be confirmed. This is at an extra cost to the course fee.
December Rehearsals
Sunday 10 December
Sunday 17 December
Wednesday 27 December
Thursday 28 December
Friday 29 December
Saturday 30 December
Break for New Year
January Rehearsals
Sunday 7 January
Monday 8 January
Public Concert
Wednesday 10 January, Barbican Hall
Programme & Conductor
Karen Ní Bhroin conductor
Programme to be confirmed
April Rehearsals
Thursday 4 April–Friday 5 April
Tuesday 9 April–Friday 12 April
Sunday 14 April
Public Concert
Monday 15 April, Barbican Hall
Programme & Conductor
Dominic Wheeler conductor
Programme to be confirmed (includes opera)
July Rehearsals
Sunday 14 July
Sunday 21 July
Wednesday 24–Sunday 28 July
Tour (Belgium & the Netherlands)
Tuesday 30 July–Sunday 4 August
September Rehearsals
Saturday 14 September
Sunday 15 September
Public Concert
Monday 16 September, Barbican Hall
Programme & Conductor
Timothy Redmond conductor
Programme to be confirmed