About Us

IMPORTANT NOTICE
It is with great sadness that in the summer of 2025, the Trustees took the extremely difficult decision for HYOT not to continue operating due to lack of necessary funding. The Charity is currently undergoing the process of closure. For any information, please do not hesitate to contact us on music@hyot.org.uk.

Hackney Youth Orchestras Trust has been providing music tuition for children and young people through our Saturday Music School since 1992. Our Saturday Music School takes place at St Matthias Primary School, in the London Borough of Hackney for 30 weeks per year during school term-time.

Since 2015 we have also run summer music schools in the Hackney Wick/Homerton area. We have held 5 summer music schools in total and plan to hold further holiday music schools in the future.

Until 18 August 2022, Hackney Youth Orchestras Trust’s activities were delivered through registered charity number 1013051. The Charity has now converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registration number 1191159 and activities have been delivered through the CIO since 18 August 2022.

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.