Chapel-en-le-Frith teen earns place in National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
A High Peak teenager has earned her place in the ‘world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers’ and will be touring nationally as well as having a performance televised.
Martha Stanier,16, from Chapel-en-le-Frith, has successfully gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO), and has been selected as one of just seven bassoonists from across the country in a fiercely competitive audition process.
Mum Fiona Stanier said: “The NYO is the most prestigious young person’s orchestra in the UK and celebrated internationally as the world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers.”
Playing with NYO will total around 45 days over the coming year for Martha - including three national tours to iconic venues such as the Blackpool Tower and the Royal Festival Hall, and culminating in a televised BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall in August 2027.
The talented teenager has been playing the bassoon since the age of eight, after a chance encounter hearing her first teacher - Emily Wilson from Buxton - play at Chinley Primary School and inspiring her to start lessons on the endangered instrument.
Fiona said: “She made rapid progress since, joining the junior department of the Royal Northern College of Music at 13 years old and achieving grade 8 distinction at just 14.
“She is now at the UK’s leading music school, Chetham’s School of Music, studying bassoon and piano, alongside her A levels.”
A key responsibility of orchestra members is to be a role model for their generation, including spending time in local primary schools each year to promote their instrument.
Martha said:”I can’t wait to do this. As someone from a state school background, I know how impactful having someone to look up to can be and I want to be an inspiration to eight-year-old girls and boys, and show them what they can do, just as I experienced.”
The NYO’s aim is to ‘activate teenagers’ confidence, optimism and skills’ through performing and sharing extraordinary music.
They say they ‘open doors for young people, equipping them with new ideas, new experiences, new friends and new music to master’.
Speaking about the new intake of musicians a spokesperson for the NYO added: “We’re delighted to announce the arrival of the next generation of changemakers in orchestral music.
“160 teenage musicians from every corner of the UK, from Banchory to Bicester and Sleaford to Sevenoaks, are ready to play their part in the Orchestra of 2027.
“More teenagers than ever before are becoming part of the NYO community and finding opportunities to take their music further.
“Throughout the year, they’ll take the power of orchestral music from world-class concert halls to schools, youth centres and communities across the UK, connecting with thousands of teenagers and inspiring them to discover what an orchestra can be.
“Along the way, they’ll grow in confidence and step up as role models for other young people.”
Martha’s first concert of the 2027 season with NYO will be at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on Tuesday January, 5 2027, a place she knows well from playing with its home youth orchestra, the Hallé Youth Orchestra.
Tickets for the concert are free for teenagers and can be booked at bridgewater-hall.co.uk