DANIEL Harding aged 13 from Cam in Dursley is to play with one of the world’s finest children’s orchestras, the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO).

Daniel, who has played the violin for 8 years, auditioned for the NCO this October and has been selected to play with the Main Orchestra for 2014.

Daniel who is thrilled about taking up his place with the Orchestra, said: “I am delighted to be offered a place in the main orchestra this year because I love playing my violin and going on the residential courses, playing for seven or eight hours a day with friends who love music too”

Daniel is a pupil in Year 9 at Marling School in Stroud and took his grade 8 violin exam in July which he passed with distinction.

He learns the violin with Jonathan Trim through school and has only ever had the standard 30 minute lesson a week in term time.

He first joined the NCO South West regional orchestra in 2012 and has played this year with the Under 13 orchestra.

Only this weekend he was playing with the orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

This year the NCO auditioned a staggering number of talented youngsters.

A record number of applications this year meant that over 1,300 children, aged from 7-13 years, tried out for a coveted place in one of their five age-banded orchestras – making Daniel’s place all the more special.

Instrumentalists who win a place with the NCO, like Daniel, will attend exciting residential courses.

The tutors for these courses are drawn from major national orchestras, specialist music schools and conservatoires – giving members access to the highest standard of tuition the UK has to offer.

Members are also given the chance to show audiences just what can be achieved when passion and talent combine.

Each course culminates in a performance, with the NCO Main and Under 13, performing at prestigious venues across the country. In addition, all of the NCO’s age-banded orchestras this year performed in a spectacular gala concert at Symphony Hall Birmingham on August 31 to celebrate the NCO’s 35th anniversary.

Being selected as a member of the NCO is a fantastic accolade for a young musician and can lay the foundations for a very successful music career.

Ex-NCO members include Robin Ticciati, the Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding, Principal Guest Conductor for the London Symphony Orchestra.

Auditions for a place in one of the NCO’s 2014 Orchestras are now closed, but will reopen for 2015 this coming summer.

Talent is the only criterion for winning a place and full bursaries are available, so no child or parent should be deterred from auditioning due to financial concerns.

To audition, young instrumentalists must submit an application form, available May 2014.

For more information about the NCO visit www.nco.org.uk, or phone 01934 41 88 55.