Hackney Youth Orchestras Trust has been providing music tuition for children and young people through our Saturday Music School since 1992.

Our Aims

Promoting Diversity

HYOT aims to fully reflect Hackney’s diverse communities and promote equality of opportunity. It does this by following an open and transparent student admissions policy, offering a rich internationally influenced musical curriculum and by promoting accessibility through subsidised fees and low cost instrument hire.

Learning Together

HYOT ensures that everyone in our music school benefits from the inspiration of playing alongside professional musicians. Children and young people of a range of ability take part in the ensembles and orchestra, allowing beginners to be inspired by more advanced students, who in turn learn through supporting beginners. Our Summer School’s choir, orchestra and ensembles are arranged on similar principles.

Delivering Impact

Music is important in its own right – HYOT makes 1:1 instrumental tuition accessible to local children and young people. Students who started with us when they were very young have progressed onto degree courses, where they have continued with their musical education and development. HYOT is also interested in a wider range of important education opportunities and benefits young people gain from taking up an instrument and playing in orchestras and ensembles.

Partnership Working

HYOT partners with the Hackney Music Service, the local authority and local, regional and national funders to ensure that our Saturday and holiday schools are effectively coordinated with other music provision and can be offered at a rate affordable to local residents. We also work creatively with our highly qualified tutors who are all professional musicians.