Our Relaxed Concert at All Nations Centre, Cardiff
On 31 August, National Youth Orchestra of Wales will perform a relaxed concert, designed to be inclusive and welcoming for all ages and access needs.
In this guide, you can find out more about what to expect, and what we’ll have in place on the day to help you enjoy the concert.
What is a Relaxed Concert?
A concert that is suitable for all audiences, no matter their age or access needs.
The venue has flexible seating with plenty of space for wheelchairs, mobility vehicles or prams / buggies.
There will be two breakout spaces for anyone feeling overwhelmed, highly stimulated or would benefit from quiet time at any point during the concert. These are located in the foyer and a separate room where the concert can be relayed via screen. If you need any support, a member of NYAW staff in a red t-shirt will be able to direct you to these spaces.
This concert will be shorter than a typical orchestral concert. It will feature elements of the Orchestra’s main concert programme and will last approximately 1hr 15minutes.
There will be an open-door policy and audience members are free to come and go and communicate as they need to.
Orchestra members won’t be wearing formal concert dress, instead they’ll be wearing their own clothes.
The Music
Five Windows by Niamh O’Donnell
This piece has been written by a young composer from Aberystwyth called Niamh (pronounced Neeve) O’Donnell. Niamh’s music was inspired by different paintings by artists George Braque and Wassily Kandinsky. The music, split into five sections describes what Niamh sees and feels when looking at the paintings. You can find a recording of her piece here: Niamh O'Donnell; Five Windows - recording
The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky
The Firebird was a ballet written by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsy in 1910. Stravinsky later created three suites of the ballet music for concert performances. The music you’ll hear in this concert is selected movements from the suite that was written in 1945.
The theme of the music is based on Russion folktales, and you’ll hear Stravinsky depict enchanted gardens, evil princes, love and of course the magical Firebird!
Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev
Another Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev, wrote his ballet Romeo and Juliet based on William Shakespeare’s play in 1940. The orchestra will be performing selected movements from the ballet in this performance, including one movement that anyone who watches The Apprentice, will recognise instantly!
Each movement beautifully describes in music a different element of Shakespeare’s famous story of these star-crossed lovers.
On the Day
The concert will start at 3.30pm, but we will open doors from 2.30pm, so feel free to come early and get accustomed to the concert space and the venue.
We will have staff available to help with parking and showing you to the venue.
The Orchestra will start making their way to the stage area from around 3.15pm and spend some time playing their instruments to warm up ready for the start of the concert.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this relaxed concert will no longer include BSL interpretation. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.
The Venue
The All Nations Centre is a fully accessible venue with no lips greater than 1cm to get around the whole building.
All activity for this concert will happen on the ground floor, but there is a lift to the first floor if required.
There are accessible toilets available on the ground floor.
Car Parking
There are 260 free parking spaces in two adjacent car parks, with plenty of accessible parking available. We also have the ability to designate additional accessible parking spaces if required.
Accessible parking will be provided in the West car park, accessible via Sachville Avenue, of Whitchurch Road.
Travel to the Venue
The All Nations Centre is well placed for driving and there are 260 free car parking spaces for delegates in two adjacent car parks.
The West Car Park is accessed via Sachville Avenue off Whitchurch Road. This is the smaller of the two car parks and so it fills up quicker. This car park will be used for accessible parking and so we encourage anyone who does not need accessible parking to use the East car park instead.
The East Car Park is accessed straight off the A48 slip road into Cardiff and offers over 200 spaces.
Get in touch
If you have any questions relating to this concert, then please do get in touch with us at nyaw@nyaw.org.uk or ring us on 029 2280 7420 and we will be pleased to help.