Music Leader

**About National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO)**

The National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO) is a world first, an ambitious orchestra launched in September 2018 to give some of the UK’s most talented young disabled musicians a progression route. It promotes musical excellence, empowering disabled and non-disabled musicians aged 11-25 to rehearse and perform together as members of a pioneering ensemble.

There are currently five NOYO Centre’s: Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff and London, where young disabled and non-disabled musicians meet once a month to rehearse together in regional groups. The full National Open Youth Orchestra meets once a year each April for a residential, before performing a series of summer concerts.

Some of the National Open Youth Orchestra musicians play acoustic instruments; others, electronic instruments like the Clarion, which can be played with the movement of any part of the body including the eyes.

The Birmingham NOYO Centre is a partnership between Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), and Services For Education. There are currently 11 young people who are members of the Birmingham regional group, who meet once a month for rehearsals. For half of the year, the rehearsals take place at MAC.

**Role objective**

As Music Leader, you will lead and conduct rehearsals at the Midlands Arts Centre from September 2025 - June 2026. You will respond to the specific needs and requirements of the young musicians, guiding their musical and artistic development in line with NOYO expectations.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Plan, deliver and evaluate 10 rehearsals, once a month, in Birmingham starting in September 2025
- Assisting and supporting the Assistant Music Leader in planning, delivery and evaluation
- Attend and support students for 1 day at the NOYO Residency in April 2026
- To support 1 NOYO national concert in 2026
- Support practice diaries for NOYO members & trainees.
- To attend NOYO training days

**General**
- To act as an ambassador for the vision and values of NOYO and their partners (MAC Makes Music and Services for Education) - of creating equitable access to music for all.
- To follow all MAC and NOYO safeguarding policies, code of conduct and additional policies for safe working.
- To hold, or be able to obtain, an Enhanced Disclosure with DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).

**Learning and Teaching**
- Design and deliver a range of appropriate teaching material and techniques for the NOYO programme
- Ensure your own and the students’ work is effective, challenging and inclusive.
- Support the development of high quality, inspirational and inclusive music delivery across a range of environments working with disabled young people, and those with additional needs.
- Work alongside the NOYO Assistant Music Leader to lead and conduct regional rehearsals for disabled young musicians, prioritising and delegating as necessary.
- Develop and arrange new music with musicians, including the use of alternative scores and notation.
- To use initiative to innovate musically as well as working within a given framework.
- Ensure that all participants are equally included in activities and have an equal opportunity to progress musically.
- Use and value a range of forms of communication including musical, verbal and physical, enabling the ‘voice’ of the young person to be heard.

**Administration and Leadership**
- Liaise and report to the MAC Makes Music Manager, NOYO Musical Director and NOYO Pastoral Support Officer regarding young person feedback, pastoral elements and safeguarding
- Communicate with the wider NOYO team of partners and music leaders via Basecamp (online workspace).
- Visits to other NOYO Centres to shadow other Music Leaders, where required.
- Help select and undertake the induction and monitoring of visiting practitioners; ensuring staff observe the accepted codes of conduct and teach to the correct plan and level.
- To be involved in any recruitment or auditions of either leaders or participants
- Attend any necessary induction and development training

**Schedule of Activity**

Activity

Date(s) and times

Hours

Venue

10x Regional rehearsals

**Saturdays 1-4pm**

27 Sept 2025

18 Oct 2025

15 Nov 2025

6 Dec 2025

17 Jan 2026

7 Feb 2026 (open rehearsal)

14 March 2026 (open rehearsal)

25 April 2026

23 May 2026

13 June 2026 (showcase)

Total 60 hours

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

10x planning and preparation for regional rehearsals

N/A

Total 60 hours

N/A

1x Regional ensemble audition

10 May

7 hours

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

1x National audition

17 January

TBC

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

1x National rehearsal

21 Feb 1-4pm

6 hours

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

1x National ensemble residential days

Between 30 March - 2 April

TBC

Treolar’s Powell Drive, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 4GL

Music Leader development days

5 Sept (online)

21 Nov (online)

13 March (online)

19 June (in-person)

Total 21 hours

TBC

Other acti