Area ensembles

Our area ensembles offer a wide range of opportunities from beginner level upwards

Our events calendar gives a full listing of forthcoming events for all ensembles and more. Why not have a look to see if there's a performance near you?

Membership and how to apply

Our area ensembles offer a wide range of opportunities from beginner level upwards. You can become a member at any time during the school year. Membership is open to young people up to the age of 19, who are in full-time education at school/college/home.

From September 2024 area ensemble membership will cost £40 per term.

To help you decide if you want to join, contact us to arrange to visit a rehearsal. Join in or watch to get a flavour of the group. You can attend two rehearsals free of charge to help you decide if you want to join.

Rehearsals take place in term time only.

Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). See our HMS Privacy Notice for Ensemble Membership.

Alton area

Alton First Access

Conductors: Martin Garrod
Assistant: Jessica Deal
Venue: Amery Hill School, Alton
When: Tuesday, weekly, 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Requirements: Entry level ensemble – one term of learning is all that is required!

Basingstoke area

Basingstoke Area Youth Orchestra and Choirs

 

BAYO website

Basingstoke Area Youth String Orchestra

Conductor: Paul Timms
Assistant: Victoria Eglin
Venue: Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Fridays, weekly 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Strings grades/stage 3 to 5+

Basingstoke Area Youth String Training Orchestra

Conductor: Brenda de Souza
Venue: Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Mondays, weekly 6pm to 7pm
Requirements: Strings stage/grade 1 - stage/grade 3

Basingstoke Early Access String Ensemble

Conductor: Brenda de Souza
Venue: Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke
When: Mondays, weekly, 4:45pm to 5:45pm
Requirements: Strings players learning for two terms - stage/grade 1

Basingstoke Area Youth Wind Orchestra

Director: Chris Pott
Assistant: Gary Chong
Venue: Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Tuesdays, weekly 6:15pm to 7:15pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 4+

Basingstoke Area Youth Wind Training Orchestra

Conductor: Serena Ludford
Assistant: Tony Ludford
Venue: Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Tuesdays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 1 to 4

Basingstoke Area Youth Percussion Ensemble

Conductor: Chris Pott
Venue: Queens Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Mondays, weekly 5pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Percussion players beginner to advanced

Basingstoke Area Youth Choir

Conductor: Emma Nunn
Venue: Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke
When: Thursdays, weekly 5:45pm to 6:45pm

Eastleigh area

Eastleigh Area Schools Orchestras (EASO)

EASO website

Eastleigh Area Wind Orchestra

Director: Gabrielle Horne
Assistant: Alice Bartlett
Venue: Thornden Hall, Thornden Academy, Chandler's Ford
When: Mondays, weekly 5:15pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 3

Eastleigh Area Wind Orchestra Trainers

This ensemble is for players who would like some ensemble experience before joining the main Wind Orchestra

Conductor: Angela Williams
Venue: Thornden Hall, Thornden Academy, Chandler's Ford
When: Mondays, weekly 4:15pm to 5:15pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion introductory to grade/stage 2+ level

Eastleigh Area String Training Orchestra

Conductor: Clare Prest
Venue: Thornden Hall, Thornden Academy, Chandler's Ford
When: Mondays, weekly, 5:15pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Strings grade/stage 1 to 4

Eastleigh Area Guitar Ensemble

Conductor: Stuart Goodeve
Assistant: Simon King
Venue: Thornden Hall, Thornden Academy, Chandler's Ford
When: Mondays, weekly 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Guitar players learning for two terms - stage/grade 1

Gosport, Fareham and Portchester area

Gosport and Fareham Youth Orchestras (GFYO)

Gosport and Fareham Youth Concert Band

Director: Matt Watling
Venue: Henry Court Community College, Fareham
When: Thursday, weekly 6pm to 7:15pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 4+

Gosport and Fareham Wind Training Band

Conductor: Sam Ottley
Assistant: Alison McIntyre
Venue: Henry Court Community College, Fareham
When: Thursdays, weekly 6pm to 7pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion introductory to grade/stage 3

Gosport and Fareham Youth Orchestra

Conductor: Jim Potter
Assistant: Heather Graham
Venue: Henry Court Community College, Fareham
When: Thursdays, weekly 7:30pm to 9pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 5+, Strings grade/stage 3+

Gosport and Fareham Young Strings

Conductor: Anna Pring
Assistant: Heather Graham
Venue: Henry Court Community College, Fareham
When: Thursday, weekly 6pm to 7pm
Requirements: Strings beginner to grade/stage 3

Gosport and Fareham Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard Ensemble

Conductor: Martin McBeath
Venue: Henry Court Community College, Fareham
When: Thursday, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Open to junior school age and above

Portchester, Fareham and Gosport Youth Bands

Portchester, Fareham and Gosport Choir

Director: Becs Humby
Venue: Crofton School, Stubbington
When: Fridays, weekly 4pm to 5pm
Requirements: Years 5 - 10

Portchester, Fareham and Gosport Youth Brass Band

Director: Matt Watling
Venue: Crofton School, Stubbington
When: Fridays, weekly 6pm to 7:15pm
Requirements: Brass/Percussion grade/stage 5+

Portchester, Fareham and Gosport Training Band

Conductor: Matt Watling
Venue: Crofton School, Stubbington
When: Fridays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Brass/Percussion grade/stage 3 +

Portchester, Fareham and Gosport Junior Band

Conductor: Jim Potter
Venue: Crofton School, Stubbington
When: Fridays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Brass/Percussion introductory stage and above

Hamble area

Hamble Area Youth Band

Director: Jamie Langridge
Assistant: Georgina Carter
Venue: D@rt Centre, Wildern School
When: Tuesdays, weekly 6pm to 7pm
Requirements: Brass/Percussion grade/stage 4+

Hamble Area Youth Training Band

Conductor: Jamie Langridge
Assistant: Georgina Carter
Venue: D@rt Centre, Wildern School
When: Tuesdays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Brass/Percussion grade/stage 1+

Havant area

Havant Clarinet and Saxophone Choir

Director: Gemma Billington
Venue: Horndean Technology College, Barton Cross, Horndean
When: Tuesdays, weekly 6pm to 7pm
Requirement: Clarinet grade/stage 4+, Saxophone grade/stage 5+, Percussion/Guitar/Piano grade/stage 6+

Havant Wind Ensemble

Conductor: Gemma Billington
Assistant: Sue Riggs
Venue: Horndean Technology College, Barton Cross, Horndean
When: Tuesdays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Woodwind/Brass/Keyboard/Guitar/Percussion players grade/stage 1-2+

New Forest area

New Forest Ensemble

Director: Clare Prest
Assistant: Tanya Fay
Venue: Hounsdown School, Totton
When: Wednesday, weekly, 4pm to 5pm
Requirements: Entry level ensemble – one term of learning is all that is required!

North East Hants area

North East Hants Area Schools Ensembles (NEHASE)

North East Hants Area Senior Strings

Conductor: Carole Jenkins
Venue: The Wavell School, Farnborough
When: Wednesdays, weekly 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Strings grade/stage 3+

North East Hants String Training Orchestra

Conductor: Linda White
Venue: The Wavell School, Farnborough
When: Wednesdays, weekly 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Strings introductory to grade/stage 3

Hampshire Taiko (Japanese drumming)

Director: Catherine Capper
Venue: Alderwood Senior School, Aldershot
When: Thursdays, weekly
Training ensemble 4:30pm to 5:45pm
Senior ensemble 5:45pm to 7pm
Requirements: age 11 to 18, beginners welcome

North East Hants Area Schools Wind Band

Conductor: Lucy Powe
Venue: The Wavell School, Farnborough
When: Wednesdays, weekly, 5:15pm to 6:15pm
Requirements: grade/stage 4+

Petersfield and Alton area

Petersfield Area Schools String Orchestra (PASSO)

Director: Catherine Lawlor
Assistant: Bridget Hughes
Venue: The Petersfield School
When: Wednesdays, weekly 5pm to 6pm 
Requirements: Strings grade/stage 1+

Romsey area

Romsey Area Schools Orchestras (RASO)

RASO website

Romsey Area Youth Wind Band

Conductor : Alex Needham
Assistant: Angela Williams
Venue: The Mountbatten School, Romsey
When: Thursdays, weekly 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 3+

Romsey Area Youth Jazz Orchestra

Director: Alex Needham
Venue: The Mountbatten School, Romsey
When: Thursdays, 7pm to 8pm
Requirements: Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano/Keyboard, Guitar, Double Bass/Electric Bass, Drums/Percussion, grade/stage 6+ and to pass audition

Winchester area

Winchester Area Schools Orchestras (WASO)

WASO website

Winchester Area Schools Introductory Band

Conductors: Jamie Langridge, Jemima Kingsland
Venue: Concert Hall, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly, 4:30pm to 5.15pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage introductory

Winchester Area Schools Wind Band

Conductor: Tom Barton
Assistant: Rob Eastgate
Venue: Music 2, Beacon Arts Centre, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly 5pm to 6pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 1+

Winchester Area Young String Ensemble

Conductor: Lucinda Wright
Assistant: Helen Liddle
Venue: Drama 2, Beacon Arts Centre, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly, 5:15pm to 6:30pm
Requirements: Strings grade/stage 1

Winchester Area String Training Orchestra

Conductor: Gideon Baker
Assistant: Helen Liddle
Venue: Drama 1, Beacon Arts Centre, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly, 5:30pm to 6:45pm
Requirements: Strings grade/stage 3+

Winchester Youth Concert Band

Director: Jamie Langridge
Assistant: Jemima Kingsland
Venue: Concert Hall, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly 5:20pm to 6:40pm
Requirements: Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 4+ and by audition

Winchester Youth Orchestra

Conductor: Adam Broughton
Assistant: Martin Garrod
Venue: Concert Hall, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester
When: Wednesdays, weekly 6:45pm to 8pm
Requirements: Strings/Wind/Brass/Percussion grade/stage 5/6+ depending on instrument. Entry by audition