Two Hamilton students are the youngest to play in the National Youth Orchestra and describe the experience as 'special'.
At age 14, Emily Kim and Linbei Ke from Hillcrest High School have performed in the National Youth Orchestra twice, with aims to be back for a third year next year.
Around 50 per cent of the current New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) are former members of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. The purpose of the the youth orchestra is to develop New Zealand's young orchestral musicians for the future.
Students record their audition in one take and it is not able to be edited. They are submitted in what Linbei said is a blind audition, where the judges do not know the age or the name of the submitter.
"In the music industry there is a lot of competition and it is better to be blind so they aren't prejudiced about who your teacher is and your age," Linbei said.