Music Leaders
Discover your Potential as a NYOS Music Leader
Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing cultural and environmental landscape, the NYOS Music Leaders programme is a one-year, paid training and development programme open to early career musicians. It is designed to address the core competencies, capacities and skills needed to be a successful workshop leader, music educator, facilitator and thought leader in tomorrow’s cultural sector and beyond.
Each Music Leader will receive 3 days of in-person training with industry experts, one-to-one mentoring with creative professionals, and access to online training and discussion settings, before delivering their own workshops to young people on NYOS courses. All participants are paid for their time attending sessions with travel costs to the course covered as well.
The course is open to any and all backgrounds, you don’t need to come from a classical music background, and is an excellent stepping stone for those looking to work as musicians, educators, and performers. By the end of the course NYOS Music Leaders have the skills, confidence, and experience to meet the opportunities and challenges of today’s music sector.
2025/26 Course Dates and Structure
On top of these dates, NYOS Music Leaders will each be paired with a mentor that they will meet with regularly across the course for one-to-one support and guidance. Mentors will offer their experience and expertise to help you achieve your personal goals.
Throughout the course, there will also be plenty of opportunities for further learning, whether that’s by coming along to observe other NYOS courses, attending online twilight sessions, and through discussion and connection with your fellow trainees.
By the end of the course, you will:
- Have the confidence and resilience to deliver activity with peers and young people
- Know strategies for impactful group teaching and workshop leading
- Be able to collaborate effectively and work with teams of professionals
- Understand how to be empathetic and adaptable when working with groups of mixed ages and abilities
- Have formed working relationships with peers and professionals in the sector
How do I apply?
Please submit an online application via the link below. Successful applicants will be invited to a recruitment day on Wednesday 17 September.
Apply for Music Leaders 2025/26
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with ensembles@nyos.co.uk if you have any questions regarding the roles, or if you need to discuss any access requirements.
In your application we will ask for a few personal details and brief statements about the following:
- Your education/training history
- Recent employment history
- What you would like to get out of the NYOS Music Leaders programme and what you can bring to the programme
Your personal statement can be either written or spoken.
You do not need any formal experience, training, or qualifications to be a NYOS Music Leader: the most important thing is who you are, your values, and the enthusiasm you bring to the role.
Everyone will bring different experiences to the role, and no two Music Leaders will be the same, however successful candidates will likely display:
- An enthusiasm and commitment to youth music
- Willingness to deliver music tuition in range of settings
- A positive and can-do attitude, being open to taking initiative and demonstrating flexibility
- Confidence and experience with their instrument
At NYOS, we want to represent all of Scotland in a work environment that’s inclusive, welcoming, and diverse. We value inclusivity and lived experience in all its forms, and we understand that people from certain backgrounds are still under-represented in the arts nationwide. People from any of the backgrounds below are particularly encouraged to apply:
- From working-class or lower socio-economic backgrounds
- From global majority backgrounds and people who experience racism
- Disabled applicants
- Care leavers
- Young carers and young parents
- Experiencing or at risk of homelessness
- Experiencing or at risk of experiencing poor mental health, either diagnosed or self-acknowledged
The deadline to apply is 12 noon on Wednesday 27 August 2025. Successful applicants will be invited to a recruitment day on Wednesday 17 September.
Fees and Support
It’s important to us that NYOS Music Leaders is open to everyone, and early-career professionals are fairly paid for their time. Our Music Leaders are paid £100 per day for their involvement.
Further support is available for travel and accommodation costs to help you get to and from each training day, particularly if you live in an isolated community.
You can find out more about applying for financial assistance on the dedicated information page. You do not need to supply any financial information before applying.
> Financial Assistance for NYOS Courses
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please email ensembles@nyos.co.uk
