County-Wide Opportunities
Buckinghamshire County Ensembles 2025/26 Season
The Buckinghamshire County Groups exist to provide access to high level repertoire. Working with the best young musicians in the county, our programmes will also include some partnership and masterclass opportunities with established professional musicians.
We recognise that at this level, many young people are pursuing music seriously, and so the schedules for these groups are designed such that you can participate in more than one group should you wish.
All groups are open to any young person up to the age of 22 of the required standard. Applications are considered for anyone currently or previously resident or at school in Buckinghamshire and from any adjacent area where similar provision is not available. We are also happy to welcome university students who wish to return to Bucks to take part.
The 2025-26 programme will include a 5-day overseas tour from Saturday 18th to Wednesday 22nd July, with an end-of-season concert on 23rd July 2026.
The Buckinghamshire County Groups perform at major venues and festivals in the UK and Europe, including Sinfonia Smith Square in 2025. They have previously toured in Spain, Belgium, Jersey, Prague, Budapest and Iceland.
Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra (BCYO)
Musical Director: Tom Horn
Manager: Carolyn Sewell
Comprising the county’s finest young orchestral musicians, BCYO has earned a reputation for exciting, high quality performances. Each season, the ensemble tackles challenging orchestral repertoire with performance opportunities not only in Bucks, but also at prestigious venues in the UK and abroad. Under the expert guidance of conductor Tom Horn, members are also supported by professional tutors who challenge them to achieve their highest standards in playing. In the coming season, the orchestra will undertake a tour to Northern Spain.
Tom Horn developed his passion while studying Music with Acoustics at Southampton University. He trained with notable conductors like Peter Stark, Peter Ash, Toby Purser, and Robin Browning.
Tom has worked with various youth and amateur orchestras in the South of England, collaborating with renowned musicians including Nicola Benedetti, David Owen Norris, and Sir Mark Elder. He currently serves as the Musical Director for multiple ensembles, including the Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra, Pelly Concert Orchestra, Marlow Orchestra, Aylesbury and Slough Youth Orchestras. Additionally, he is involved with the Haslemere Music Society and founded the Charity Symphony Orchestra.
Buckinghamshire Youth Wind Ensemble (BYWE)
Musical Director: Ed Hodgson
Orchestral Manager: Fay Hayhurst
The high levels of musicianship in this ensemble mean that it produces performances of exceptional quality, playing repertoire designed to challenge each player and provide them with a unique chamber ensemble experience.
Ed Hodgson studied the French horn and conducting at the Guildhall School of Music, followed by a postgraduate course at the Royal Academy of Music. He has enjoyed a varied musical career performing with orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Istanbul Philharmonic, Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
His West End experience includes playing in shows such as Oliver!, Wicked, Les Misérables, Gypsy, Miss Saigon, Kiss Me Kate, and Warhorse. He has been a conductor on Mack and Mabel with Michael Ball, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sinatra, Mary Poppins UK tours, and conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales brass ensemble during their lockdown recording series. He also features on the soundtracks for Doctor Who, Hidden Kingdom, Atlantis, and Crimewatch.
Bucks County Youth Choir (BCYC)
Musical Director: Edwin Pitt Mansfield
Manager: Karen Wallace
BCYC is an auditioned choir for experienced young singers and musicians who enjoy learning and performing a variety of music to a high standard. It is a county-wide ensemble performing mixed choral repertoire in a friendly and supportive environment, while building key choral singing skills.
The 2025-26 season will feature an eclectic range of music, from Baroque to Contemporary genres and across multiple languages.
Edwin Pitt Mansfield is an educator, performer, and musical director based in London. As a baritone, he has sung for opera companies, choirs, and choruses throughout the UK and France. He is a leading teacher of young voices and gifted teenagers. Edwin is a member of the vocal faculty at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and deputy vocal teacher at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. He has previously taught at The Royal Ballet School and Stowe School.
He is an examiner for Trinity College London and was Chair of the Association of Teachers of Singing (2022–2024). Edwin regularly leads workshops, teacher training days, and conference sessions across the UK, particularly on the male voice change. He is a contributor to Music Teacher magazine and Musical Director of both the Buckinghamshire County Youth Choir and Aylesbury Consort of Voices.
Bucks Youth Jazz Collective (BYJC)
Musical Director: Ralph Wyld
Manager: Fay Hayhurst
The central ethos of this exciting new group is improvisation. Most time is spent in small groups focusing on interaction, listening, and leadership, with opportunities to work with established players.
In addition to preparing for performances, there's a strong emphasis on process—ensuring young jazz musicians gain the skills to play in and lead jazz ensembles, and preparing them for further studies.
Ralph Wyld is an award-winning vibraphonist and composer, known for his original, contemporary music performed with artists like Yazz Ahmed and Stan Sulzmann. He has played at venues and festivals on five continents and released an album on Edition Records described as an “outstanding debut” by MOJO magazine. Ralph is also a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and holds a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in jazz education.
Programme of events:
The dates above are firm and must be fully committed to.
Summer term schedules are designed not to interfere with exam preparation.
Full-day rehearsal details and locations will be confirmed at the start of the season. Additional opportunities (performances/masterclasses) may arise with notice.
How to Apply
All prospective and existing applicants must complete an application form.
Deadline: Monday 7th July 2025
BCYO & BYWE: Open to players at Grade 6+ (or working towards it with teacher recommendation)
BCYC: Open to singers at Grade 6+ (instrumentalists also welcome)
BYJC: Open to players of any instrument with a passion for jazz and improvisation; must be senior-band level or equivalent
Auditions
Auditions required for new applicants (in-person preferred):
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BCYC: 12 July
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BYJC: 13 July
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BYWE: 13 & 15 July
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BCYO:
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12 July (Strings)
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13 July (Brass & Wind)
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15 July (Strings, Wind & Brass)
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Eligibility: Under 22 on 1st Sept 2025
Fees:
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1 group: £790
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2+ groups: £850
Subsidies available:
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50% for FSM/low income
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20% for siblings
Payment plans available. Please contact the Director of Music via director@bucksmusic.org for confidential support.
- Fees include all elements of the programme, including the full cost of the tour
- Subsidies are available for students eligible for FSM (50%) and siblings (20%)
- Payment plans can be arranged to spread the cost across the year
Access to all senior county groups is driven by ability and opportunity. We want all eligible and committed young musicians to be able to take part. If the cost presents a challenge, please contact the Director of Music at BMT for a confidential discussion via director@bucksmusic.org
Joining any of the senior groups requires the commitment to attend all the dates listed above.
Do not send any payment now – once registered you will be contacted to agree your payment plan.
Apply here for the 25/26 season
Further Information
Please send any questions for the Group Managers
BCYO - Carolyn Sewell - csewell@bucksmusic.org
BYWE & BYJC - Fay Hayhurst - fhayhurst@bucksmusic.org
BCYC - Karen Wallace - kwallace@bucksmusic.org
Student Leadership Programme
BMT is keen to promote meaningful leadership opportunities for young people. This programme will provide excellent young musicians in the county the opportunity to achieve ArtsAward at Bronze, Silver or Gold level, which are comparable awards to GCSE and A-Level qualifications. For more information, please visit www.artsaward.co.uk.
To apply for the Student Leadership programme, students will need to complete a formal application and be willing to make a significant contribution to music-making in the county.