Background: reason why
Conservatories of Music do offer classes in orchestral performance for the Philharmonic Orchestra as developed in Germany in 1740 which developed into the Symphony Orchestra. However, they do not offer classes in orchestral performance for the Wind Orchestra as developed in The Netherlands in 1770. In the USA this developed into the Symphonic Wind Orchestra a.k.a. Concert Band. Nor to the Fanfare Band as developed in The Netherlands in 1806 and the British Brass Band as developed in the UK in 1845.
The National Youth Orchestra (NJO) was founded to offer experience in orchestral performance within the Symphony Orchestra. Filling the gap in wind music was taken up by the former National Youth Wind Orchestra NL (NJHO) for quite some time. The National Youth Concert Band NL (NYCB.nl) offers a renewed complement focused on the Symphonic Wind Orchestra a.k.a. Concert Band.
At amateur levels, the National Youth Fanfare Orchestra NL (NJFO) and the National Youth Brass Band NL (NJBB) have remained active since their foundation.
Argumentation
Wind and percussion players in The Netherlands can find more jobs in professional military Wind Bands at the Ministry of Defence than in Symphony Orchestras. Next to that, there are professional civil Wind Bands in The Netherlands, Germany, Spain, USA and Japan. All the more reason to prepare for this during your studies at a Conservatory of Music.
Why us?
Question is why we do this? The answer is simple: because we have experienced ourselves how important an orchestra like this is. We realize what it has meant for our own learning curve. In other words: we know what a National Orchestra brings to the development of a music student. Being trained and challenged at one’s own level is what it’s all about, just like in sport.