The second orchestral weekend of my NCO experience this year was the best yet and for me, the most hectic! 

Following an early start to swim in the IAPS National Swimming Finals at the London Aquatics Centre, I hot-footed it in the taxi of Mum and Dad back up to The Ruddock Performing Arts Centre at King Edward's School in Birmingham, to join the Orchestra on the Saturday afternoon. Still in my tracksuit and trainers and I unloaded my harp which had slept very well in the hotel on Friday night!

I threw myself straight into rehearsals, having prepared the pieces beforehand, and met up again with the other harpists in the orchestra who are now my friends, as well as harp mates! Our tutor, Marged, was once again full of energy and we were in full rehearsals and sectionals for the rest of the day and then again on the Sunday.

Also, on the Sunday, we were really lucky to meet our guest soloist, the saxophonist, Nate Holder. Nate played in 'Windrush' by Ryan Linham, which was a challenging piece for the orchestra because of the spoken verses to accompany the music. Our opening piece in the concert was the Star Wars theme by John Williams which was fun to play. This was followed by The Thunder and Lightning Polka by Strauss which was very fast, and the Windrush piece. The finale was 'I will survive' by Gloria Gaynor, cleverly arranged for full orchestra by Ryan Linham. Following shouts of 'encore' and a standing ovation, Caroline Hobbs-Smith, our conductor for the weekend, had no option but to repeat the piece...with lots of dancing in the audience!

This was the best NCO experience yet and one which I won't forget. As my tutor said, "I dived right in!" She wasn't wrong!

Chloe, Year 6