A number of talented Perse musicians have been selected to join the National Children’s Orchestra for 2019.

They include violin-playing sisters Isabella (Year 9) and Alicia (Year 7), who have been picked for the Main Orchestra and U12 Orchestra respectively, and cellist William Dickens (Year 9), who will be performing with the Main Orchestra.

Isabella, who took up the violin aged five, said: “I was recommended to try to join the NCO by quite a lot of my friends because they’d done it before and really enjoyed it. I started off in the NCO regional orchestra where young musicians from East Anglia come together and it was really fun.

“I decided to audition again and last year I got into the U13 Orchestra and this year I’ve got into the Main Orchestra. I’m elated because it’s really hard to get in. It felt amazing to achieve that.”

For Alicia, who began playing the instrument at the age of four, being part of the NCO is also a privilege, having also been involved last year.

She said: “It feels really good to be back again. It means I can see my friends and it was really fun last time as well.”

Listen to Isabella and Alicia explain their passion for playing violin below.

It will be William’s fourth year with the NCO and he feels he has gained much from his continued involvement with the orchestra.

He said: “I feel really happy. It’s such an amazing achievement and I really love NCO. It always gives me such wonderful experiences that I’ll be able to keep for the rest of my life. There are lots of things you can benefit from in terms of music and with making lots of friends.

“It’s very good playing with other people, but you have to merge together as a section in the concerts and you really have to listen acutely to one another, it’s a very good skill to pick up. It’s such an exciting moment when you perform for the audience.”

Hear William talk more about why he enjoys playing cello below.

Isabella and William will be performing with the Main Orchestra in concerts at The Anvil in Basingstoke on 14 April, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on 10 August and the Southbank Centre, London, on 8 December. Meanwhile, Alicia will be playing with the U12 Orchestra at Port Regis School, Shaftesbury, on 13 April and Birmingham Town Hall on 18 August.