Hampshire musician spotlights National Open Youth Orchestra opportunity
On International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022, Alessandro Vazzana (25, Selborne) wants to encourage other talented disabled musicians to seek the support they need to develop their musical skills.
As a member of the National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO), a pioneering inclusive orchestra where 11-25 disabled and non-disabled musicians rehearse and perform together, Alessandro is inviting other young people with musical potential to join them for an Open Rehearsal at the London NOYO Centre.
Alessandro plays the Clarion, an award-winning accessible instrument that can be played independently and expressively with any movement of the body including eye movement. He started playing the Clarion 4 years ago using his fingers on an iPad, but now plays with Eyegaze technology using a gyroscopic mouse with a laptop to take advantage of his precision in playing.
Alessandro has always enjoyed music and performing. He has adapted what he can do with changes in his physical ability to play. He started on the piano, has played drums, handbells and explored accessible instruments whilst at a specialist school in Hampshire. He also takes singing lessons and loves attending concerts and musical theatre. Speaking of NOYO’s debut concert at Milton Court earlier this year, Alessandro said he felt “very very happy and proud”, continuing to say: “my favourite moment was the standing ovation!”.
NOYO combines musical excellence with inclusion, working with cutting-edge composers to create exciting new music inspired by the diversity of the orchestra. Musicians on both acoustic and electronic and accessible instruments are welcome to attend Open Rehearsals next year, ahead of applications opening on 1 March 2023, to find out if NOYO could be the orchestra for them. There’s no need to read music, as NOYO musicians learn by notation but also by ear and through improvisation.
Participation in NOYO is free. Members are supported to develop both musically and personally through one-to-one tuition and monthly rehearsals, which run at the London NOYO Centre in partnership with the Barbican and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Musicians from all NOYO Centres in London, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff and Birmingham also come together for a yearly residential and concerts in the Spring.
To attend Open Rehearsals on Sunday 12 February and Sunday 5 March 2023 (zoom options also available), register at noyo.org.uk/open-rehearsals.
Applications for the National Open Youth Orchestra will open from 1 March–31 March, 2023.