KMS Latest News and Opportunities

Vacancies

All KMS vacancies can be found on our recruitment site. Tutor vacancies will also be advertised on the Music Mark jobs site.

Application Portal

The KMS application portal is now live - make an application for music lessons, clubs or activities.

Instrumental lessons waiting time

We are oversubscribed for lessons in many schools and most music centres - particularly for piano, guitar, drums and violin.

When lesson slots become available we are offering them out but for many instruments and teaching locations there are significant waiting times at the moment. Some centres and schools are at capacity so you will be waiting for a current student to leave before gaining a place.

Many of our youth activities (choirs, beginner music clubs and percussion groups) are available to book without a waiting list for those students in the right age group and you can find the times and locations listed on the right-hand side of our application portal page when you follow the link above.

KMS enquiry response times

KMS continues to manage a significant programme of change including the introduction of a new database system. We are currently dealing with a very high number of calls, messages and emails on a reduced staff capacity. This means our response times are significantly longer than normal. We are working through everything as quickly as we can and to help us with this, we would be very grateful if you could only send one email or voicemail about your query and avoid duplication.

Please accept our sincere apologies for this situation and thank you so much for your patience and understanding.

Updated 07/11/23

Opportunities

Thames Youth Orchestra

Thames Youth Orchestra (TYO) is a large-scale independent youth symphony orchestra based in South West London. The orchestra comprises 70 young musicians drawn from over 30 local schools whose work is overseen by an outstanding staff of highly-experienced professional musicians. TYO runs fast-track tuition schemes on harp, double bass, percussion, viola and orchestral keyboard; has commissioned new works from composers and video artists; undertakes regular schools and outreach projects and has worked on many occasions with a wide range of professional musicians, artists, actors, broadcasters and arts organisations. It has performed extensively in London (with concerts given at the Barbican Centre, the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, LSO St. Luke’s, St. John’s Smith Square) and annually on tour across Europe.

Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra

Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra (TYJO), sister ensemble to Thames Youth Orchestra, is a full-strength big band taking players Grades 7 and above. TYJO plays from an extensive pad which includes the major staples of the big band repertoire, from 1930s Swing (Basie, Ellington, Goodman etc.) to contemporary charts (Mintzer, Goodwin, Mingus), and including a wide range of arrangements of film and TV themes, chart hits, Afro-Cuban standards (Puente, Sandoval etc.), selections by Sammy Nestico, Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones and classic Ella Fitzgerald/Sinatra/Rat Pack vocal charts.

National Youth Jazz Collective's Summer School 2023

The NYJC summer school is now open.

Rose Theatre Youth

The Rose Theatre in Kingston run a programme of youth theatre work.

Stagecoach

Stagecoach Theatre Arts provide part-time training in the performing arts for children aged 4 to 18 years.

Kingston & Malden Scout & Guide Band

The Kingston & Malden Scout & Guide Band are an enthusiastic marching and concert band made up of young people between the ages of 8 to 25 who are all members of the Scout or Guide Associations in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and surrounding are

British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT)

British Youth Music Theatre is a national performing arts education charity and the largest commissioner of new musicals in the UK. Every year they engage around 2000 11-21 year olds in auditions, workshops, Young Company and projects; BYMT helps young people and developing artists to navigate and further their training and careers in the arts.

National Youth Orchestra (NYO)

The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain exists to unlock the potential of the UK’s young musicians, through the power of orchestral music. The orchestra is celebrated as ‘the world greatest orchestra of teenagers’ for their fire cracking performances, but the brilliant musicians who take a seat at NYO, take on a much bigger mission than rising to exceptional musical challenge; as role models, leaders and advocates they open up the art form they love to their generation, through the sharing of their knowledge and experience with other young people, whatever their context.

National Youth Jazz Orchestra(NYJO)

NYJO exists to empower young jazz musicians and inspire audiences across the UK through engaging participation projects and impactful live performances

National Youth Open Orchestra (NOFA)

National Orchestra for All (NOFA) is the only non-auditioned, inclusive national youth orchestra in the UK. It welcomes young people from all backgrounds, with any level of musical ability, playing any instrument!  NOFA is made up of around 100 young people aged between 11 and 18 from across the UK who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to play music in an orchestra. The orchestra plays all types of music – from popular songs to classical music, film music to jazz, gaming music to dance anthems as well as music from around the world. Members even get to create their own pieces with professional composers!

National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) is the UK’s leading brass band charity for children and young people. We exist to give the brightest young brass and percussion musicians the opportunity to develop their musicianship, play together and inspire others.

National Youth Choirs of Great Britain

National Youth Choirs of Great Britain run five auditioned choirs for more than 700 talented members from around the UK aged 9-25. All members get to take part in inspirational residential courses and outstanding concerts and performances. Boys', Girls' and Training Choir members are invited to attend up to two residential courses per year around the UK. National Youth Choir members attend three compulsory, and one optional, project per year.

Samyo

Samyo is the National Youth Orchestra for Indian Music. Its performances feature an array of compositions inspired by North and South Indian Classical, western and world music. Samyo is leading the way in providing performance and training opportunities for young people in England.

British Youth Opera

British Youth Opera provides professional opportunities for singers, musicians and technical trainees. Our participants are normally in the middle of their formal musical education or have just finished and are about to begin their professional careers.

PLEASE NOTE: KMS is unable to guarantee the quality of the above opportunities.

A more comprehensive list can be found on our Music iin Kingston site.

Last Modified: 07/11/2023 11:58:30