Grab an instrument and play along with thousands of musicians across the UK in a heartfelt performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ dedicated to those who need it the most.
While the concert halls and schools are closed, the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain’s musicians are still on a mission, ready to share music and inspire others through performance, and making every effort to continue to be an uplifting musical community at this time.
Although NYO cannot meet physically as an orchestra, they are inviting every musician in the UK to pick up their instruments and share a massed performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’, as a gesture of community and solidarity, dedicated to the people in society who might be in need of a musical-pick-me-up: our hospital staff, key workers, supermarket workers, friends and family in isolation, and vulnerable members of society.
At 5pm on 17th April, NYO’s 164 musicians will throw open their windows, get out on their doorstep, and share their own 40 second performance of the well-known piece. In the days before, they will all be meeting on a ‘digital residency’, where they will spend time playing together in small groups, creating multi-track videos, perfecting their practice techniques, and connecting with each other musically, as well as creating resources and guidance for everyone joining in with the Ode to Joy-a-thon at home.
NYO want as many musicians as possible to join in, and have published the music for those who play at all levels, coming up with ways for everyone to perform, whatever their instrument.
Sheet music can be downloaded at this link: https://www.nyo.org.uk/ode-to-
They will be sharing the performances as widely as possible on their channels, and encourage those involved to capture their performance on video or photo and share using the hashtag #NYOdetoJoy, including who they’re dedicating the performance to.