Osian gives his thoughts on the upcoming Residency

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NYOW '14 Cello section in rehearsal0

Looking at the music for the course this year, I must say I am a little nervous. I hadn't heard of any of the music except Rite of Spring but still hadn't played any of them. I'm more nervous because it's very much out of my comfort zone. But still the music does look very exiting and it will be a great experience to play something different.

The Nash Olympics!

The venues this year are, as always, brilliant venues that I can't wait to play in. I'm most exited for the P.J Hall in Bangor because I've heard some great things about the place and it's also where my mother did her music degree. I'm also looking forward to St. David's in Cardiff. It was an amazing experience last time and I loved it so much I can't wait to play there again.

The residency on Nash is brilliant. There are four different blocks: the over 18 boys, over 18 girls, under 18 boys and under 18 girls. All blocks have such a happy atmosphere where you're surrounded by friends and colleagues. The first day for me was extremely welcoming. I instantly found myself with friends. But you also get to socialise with the other blocks at the breaks and in the S.U.

NYOW '14 Cello Section at Tutor's Dinner

Grace's 4 years of Fancy Dress Excellence!

Every day of the course, we have long and intensive rehearsals, but in the evenings we have a change to relax with friends while doing a variety of activities. The one I look forward to most every year is fancy dress. Over the past few years my group of friends have clubbed together and made giant cardboard costumes relating to the themes (which are based on one of the pieces we are playing that year). We use every free moment we have finding old discarded boxes to glue together, finding the right coloured paint, buying scissors (because after 6 years we still manage to forget to bring a pair to the residency every time…) and getting together the other bits and bobs we might need.

Here are a few of the ones we’ve done over the years which I am particularly proud of!

2010, ‘La Mer’. We decided to create a cardboard whale, and paint our legs blue to complete the whole look.

2011, ‘Feathers’. We made a feather bed, complete with fake bodies and holes for the head to look like there were people in it! Our costumes were just our pyjamas, making it the most comfy fancy dress party ever! I’m proud to say we also won this year’s competition!

2012, ‘An American in Paris’. We decided to go as French fries, so made a chip packet and used poster paint to make ourselves yellow (sadly, the colour wouldn’t come off in the shower so we stayed yellow-ish for a large portion of the course…). We also won this year too!

2013, ‘Byzantium’. The theme this year was a piece based on a poem, and one of the lines in the poem was ‘Hail the superhuman’, so naturally we decided to make a taxi filled with superheroes. (we were robbed of first place this year to great disappointment with the whole team).

This year’s theme is ‘La Peri’. Time to start planning the costume…

(Grace Buttler, Violin)

Thoughts on the Nash Repertoire this summer

Opening Bars of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

I had never heard either Schmitt’s La Tragedie de Salome or Dukas’s La Péri until I found out we were playing them on the course. Now I have listened to them, I think that they are both really interesting pieces and they should throw up some challenges and fun moments. However, the piece I am most looking forward to is The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. It is an incredible piece but really difficult as well; just looking at the part is slightly scary in its own right. Not many people our age can say that they have played it and I think it will be a lot of fun getting to grips with it. (Sam Buttler, Oboe)

Costume design for Nijinsky's La Peri

Wedi derbyn y gerddoriaeth drwy'r post dw i hyd yn oed yn fwy cyffrous ar gyfer y cwrs. Es ati yn syth i wrando arnynt ar youtube gan fod y darnau i gyd yn ddiarth i mi, ac rwyf wedi gwirioni efo'r Schmitt a'r Dukas a dwi wrth fy modd efo'r Stravinsky (er bod 'na ddim darn ar gyfer telyn!). Mae'r darnau telyn yn edrych yn eithaf heriol ond dw i'n edrych mlaen at y sialens! Mae'r amrywiaeth o fewn y rhaglen yn wych a dwi'n siwr y bydd y cynulleidfaoedd wedi gwirioni ac yn gwerthfawrogi'r rhaglen sy'n amrwyio o ddawns y ballet Ffrengig i drasiedi. (Elain Rhys Jones, Telyn)

After receiving the music through the post I'm even more excited for the course! I instantly searched for the pieces on YouTube since they are all new to me, and I absolutely love the Schmitt and the Dukas as well as the Stravinsky(although it excludes harps!). The harp parts seem very challenging but I'm extremely looking forward for the challenge! The variety within the musical programme is wonderful and I'm certain that the audiences will appreciate the programme that varies from a French ballet dance to a tragedy. (Elain Rhys Jones, Harp)