We are very pleased to be able to announce that applications for the 2022 NSGSO and NSGCB course are now open. We are accepting applications for both the Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Band. The residential course is held in Stourbridge, West Midlands, with concerts held at prestigious venues in the Birmingham area, as well as our first ever completely joint concert between the NSGSO and NSGCB at Coventry Cathedral. The course runs from Saturday 30th July – Sunday 7th August 2022 and the closing date for applications is midnight on Saturday 11th December 2021. You can apply by visiting our website, nsgso-nsgcb.com.

I would be really grateful if you could circulate this email and attached flier as widely as possible amongst to all Scouts, Explorers, Young Leaders and Network members aged 12-25 in your county.

This year we are particularly searching for harpists to join the Symphony Orchestra and would encourage you to pass this email on to any young members who may be interested.

As the NSGSO and NSGCB course was cancelled in 2021 due to Covid, those members have been given priority for the 2022 course. We have therefore already closed a handful of instruments and these are stated on the Instruments page. No other instruments will close before the closing date in December. Apologies for this, but all instruments will be open as usual for the 2023 course.

The course is hosted by Birmingham Scout County in conjunction with Girlguiding Birmingham but is open to applicants from across the UK who meet the selection criteria. 

The NSGSO and NSGCB Course

The NSGSO and NSGCB meets every year for a fantastic week’s course of music and social activities, culminating in two concerts in the community for the Concert Band, and multiple concerts for both the Concert Band and the Symphony Orchestra on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th August at prestigious venues in the Birmingham area. This year we are particularly excited to introduce a completely joint concert between the Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra at Coventry Cathedral as Coventry will have been UK City of Culture 2021. 

To see for yourself what the course involves, watch our short promotional film:

The NSGSO and NSGCB Ensembles

The 2022 course will be the 47th year of the Symphony Orchestra, with the Concert Band having been reformed in its current format 6 years ago, running alongside the Orchestra course. The NSGSO and NSGCB have separate identities but are managed together, so whilst they have separate rehearsals and concerts, participants from both groups come together for accommodation and social activities, and this year they will be completely sharing the concert in Coventry Cathedral for the first time! Applicants therefore have the choice of the two ensembles to apply for, though there are slightly different criteria and instrument choices for each. Please visit our website for more detailed information.

COVID-19

We were very disappointed to have to cancel our 2020 and 2021 courses and we are acutely aware of the fact that COVID-19 still poses a risk to us being able to hold the 2022 course. At the current time we are planning on being able to deliver the course as planned for 2022, but please feel assured that we will be monitoring the situation at every stage in our process, with our first priority being to keep all of our participants, tutors and staff members safe. Please do still send your applications in during our application period, and feel free to contact us on [email protected] with any concerns. We will be updating these questions as further information is given to us by The Scout Association, Girlguiding and the government. 

To apply for the 2022 NSGSO or NSGCB course and to find out more details, please visit nsgso-nsgcb.com. 

For anyone wishing to use this course for their DofE, QSA or QGA residential then this year must be the first time that they have attended.

You will hear before 31st December 2021 if your application has been successful or not.

Please email Mike Noyce at [email protected] with any queries that you have.

The closing date for all applications is midnight on Saturday 11th December 2021.