Welcome to the
Northamptonshire Orchestral Winds
Community Wind Band College
web site.

Saturday 27th June 2009.
Teddy Bears' Picnic Children's Concert, 5pm to 6.15pm.

 Tickets  £5, £3 (concessions).  Families (up to 2 adults & 5 children) £15.
St. Michael's Church, Perry Street, Northampton.
View poster.

Northamptonshire Orchestral Winds has a brand new dynamic, affordable and exciting community instrumental music learning system that’s for everyone in the community.

There are 5 different levels of learning experience from absolute beginner to Professional level.

Whole families are learning together in this wonderful cost-effective way of mastering any wind band instrument.  Instruments taught are Woodwinds : Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Bassoons and Saxophones - Brass: Trumpets, French Horns, Trombones, Euphoniums, Tubas – and Percussion: Snare Drum, Tom toms, Cymbals, Castanets, Maracas, Whip, Tubular Bells, Triangle, Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Vibraphone and much more....  

The Advanced (Main) Band plays wonderful and challenging music, including new works by our very best living British composers. This group has produced a wonderful CD entitled ‘Celebration’ and performed in Carnegie Hall, New York, the world’s most famous concert hall.

This group is recruiting for players of grade 8 plus. On some instruments we can take grade 7 standard – if in doubt ask.... This group meets in Northampton on a Tuesday evening (7.30 – 10pm).

As an off shoot to the Advanced Band we have a Chamber Wind Ensemble. This group has the very best NOW players including NOW’s Musical Director who leads from the bassoon. It holds regular auditions so if you want to be included or book a group find out more here.

The NOW Community Band meets on a Thursday evening (7pm - 9.30pm) and caters for all who have completed The Starter Band training (30 to 35 weeks) or who have reached grade 2 on their wind band instrument. This group runs alongside the Beginner and Intermediate Bands so caters for grade 2 - grade 6 players.

The Starter Band is for complete beginner and you do not even need to be able to read music. Starters are usually anyone from 9 years old and it only costs £2 an hour. We need 30 players to start a band and you can sign up to be included on the waiting list. Inception times will be published here. Read more.

The Beginner Band is for players who have reached at least grade 2 on their chosen  instrument or have completed the NOW Starter Band Course, and its inception will be September 2009. Please fill in this form if you want to be included. Click here to download.

NOW’s Intermediate Band is due to commence in September 2010 or sooner if enough players register on the waiting list. You need to be at least grade 4 standard or have completed the NOW Beginner Band Course. Please register for NOW Intermediate Band here. Click here to download.

The NOW Training Band is for players of grade 6 – 8 standard or have completed the NOW Intermediate Band Course. You can sign up at anytime for this group. When NOW has enough applicants for this ensemble it will commence. Please apply here  to be considered for the Training Band.

Why not develop your band instrument playing, meet new friends and get some excitement back into your life by joining NOW and reaching your musical potential, in a friendly environment?. Even if you haven’t played for a while we can help you get started again.

Please browse our site and if you have any questions please contact us. We hope to see you at a concert or playing in a band soon.