Taking the NYO experience back home

17 year old NYO clarinettist Michael Devlin talks about how he and 18 year old violinist Duncan Thomson decided, after the NYO Summer Course, to pass on some of the experience to local primary school children.


Following on from NYO’s idea of taking music out into the community, myself and Duncan organised our very own ‘Inspire Day’. After visiting and liaising with the Headteacher of Bothwell Primary School, Mohraig Gwyn-Davies, a full morning of presentations and performances got underway led by the two of us. Duncan and I began our musical journey here at Bothwell thought it fitting to return to where it all began.

We arrived at the school on a Wednesday morning armed with my laptop, violins, clarinets and batons. The morning consisted of two 30 minute workshops with the classes of the senior school followed by a recital given by myself and Duncan to the whole school and staff.

I had connected my laptop to the school’s projector and sound system and, as the classes entered the hall, they were greeted with the incredible sound of the final few minutes of the Britten Piano Concerto which we performed at the BBC Proms earlier this month – and it certainly caught their attention! We began by introducing ourselves (sporting the cool new NYO T shirts!) and making sure that the children all knew what an orchestra is and what instruments make it up. After Duncan and I introduced the instruments that we both play, it was lovely to see the excitement in the children’s faces and they were eager to participate, with lots of them coming up to have a go at playing the clarinet and violin - many of them having never seen the instruments up close before!



After this, we both explained to the children what the job of the conductor, Vladimir Jurowski, was within the orchestra and we had four volunteers to come up and try their hand at conducting with my baton. I played a short clip of the NYO performing both the ‘Fight Scene’ and the ‘Dance of the Knights’ from Romeo & Juliet and it was very entertaining watching all the children copying the “crazy man” on the screen. One question that amused me was when one of the children asked why none of the violinists were actually looking up at Vladimir when playing the notoriously hard bit in the Fight Scene. I ensured him that they were all using their peripheral vision! ;)

We then showed the classes a timeline of our musical journey which started with our instrumental tuition at Bothwell Primary School and ended with our concerts with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. By showing this timeline, we hoped that the children would see how there are many great opportunities for music making in the local area and beyond and that, ultimately, it is possible to go from Bothwell Primary School to the Royal Albert Hall! To finish off our day and hopefully inspire the children further, we gave a short performance to the whole school.

The response to our Inspire Day was really excellent and we felt lucky to be able to go back to our old school and share our passion for music making with the younger generation! :)


Michael Devlin