Explore the World of Recorder with the National Youth Recorder Orchestra

NYRO is an organisation dedicated to young recorder players and exists to support, develop and nurture their playing and give them opportunities to perform. As well as supporting their musical ambitions, NYRO gives them the chance to meet other young people, have new experiences and broaden their horizons.

NYRO’s principal aims are to:

  • Be an advocate for high quality recorder playing and for the recorder orchestra model

  • Bring together like-minded young people to develop their recorder playing to a high level and to benefit from top professional tutors and conductors

  • Give young people the opportunity to make friends from all social backgrounds who share their interests and experience the satisfaction of working together

  • Stimulate interest in the recorder and promote it as an instrument for life, encouraging participation in an absorbing and life-enhancing hobby.

NYRO runs two residential courses and a number of Recorder Days around the country each year. We engage top professional recorder players as tutors and experienced conductors to coach and inspire young players, and give them the opportunity to try or renew the experience of playing in ensembles with professional guidance. We have all the large recorders available during our courses so players can try out bass, great bass and contrabass recorders. Recorder teachers are also very welcome to attend our Recorder Days.

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Our Team

Miriam Monaghan

NYRO Tutor

Miriam Monaghan (née Nerval) enjoys a portfolio career as a international recorder player, conductor, composer and teacher. 

As a soloist, Miriam has recorded for Disney at Abbey Road on multiple occaisions; she was the first recorder player to be profiled in BBC Music Magazine’s Rising Star: Great Artists of Tomorrow feature, and was asked by Classic FM to give a recorder lesson to former Top Gear presenter, James May. In 2023, Miriam performed live and was interviewed on BBC2 Newsnight discussing the recorder’s vital role in UK music education. Miriam won a City Music Foundation award for soloists in their inaugural year, following instrumental study to postgraduate level at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. 

 

As a chamber musician Miriam performs internationally with Palisander recorder quartet, giving concerts in over 15 countries, from Japan to Greece to the tiny Scottish Isle of Eigg! “Palisander – making recorders phenomenally interesting and exciting” – Katie Derham, BBC Radio 3, 2019. The ensemble has won multiple European awards for performance and Arts Council England grants for education projects that have toured the UK since 2016. Palisander’s online videos have been viewed by more than 15 million people, worldwide. Miriam also regularly performs with Eboracum Baroque, with whom she is thrilled to have performed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, as a recorder soloist, for several years. In 2025 Miriam recorded a new disc with La Serenissima and Tabea Debus, showcasing lesser known works for two recorders and baroque orchestra, for release next year. 

 

Miriam is a tutor and conductor for the National Youth Recorder Orchestra, as well as a conductor and Musical Advisor to the Society of Recorder Players. Miriam regularly conducts playing days, and tutors for Morley Adult Education College (London) and the Recorder Summer School. 

A passionate composer and educator, Miriam was Recorder Consulant and Composer for national music foundation Sing Up’s new recorder programme, used in schools nationwide. Miriam’s compositions have been frequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM, WDR (Germany), and France Musique. 

NYRO Administrator

Dianne Charles

Dianne was invited onto the NYRO committee in 2004 and attended her first NYRO course as a member of house staff in 2005. She has been the NYRO Administrator since 2009.

Dianne studied Music at Royal Holloway College, London University with recorder as her principal instrument and went on to a postgraduate course in Early Music at the RCM. She is now a freelance music teacher, conductor, composer and arranger.