As a member of National Youth Choir (18-25 Years), you'll get access to a once-in-a-lifetime international tour, world-class musical experiences, professional-level recording opportunities and a chance to make life-long friends. Here's what our singers have to say about being part of the choir:
- “For me, National Youth Choir genuinely feels like being part of a family."
- "It's done so much for me. I've learnt so much about myself and other people."
- "National Youth Choirs allowed me to realise that mistakes are okay. Being surrounded by people who support you makes you not just a better singer but a better person."
- "If you're not sure whether to apply or not, I wasn't either and I'm so glad I did. I don't have a music education background but I auditioned anyway and I don't regret it."
What does being in the choir involve?
The choir meets for four standalone projects each year which normally fall on weekends or during university holidays. Here's an overview of the schedule for the 2024/25 season:
Project 1: Residential Discovery Weekend in Birmingham - dates TBC (likely 6-8 September OR 13-15 September 2024)
- This will be a chance for the 2024/25 cohort of singers to meet up for the first time, get to know each other and start preparing music for the year ahead together
Project 2: Carols at the Royal Albert Hall - several performances between 14 -23 December 2024 with two days of rehearsal in the week preceding
- Every year, the choir performs in the famous 'Carols at the Royal Albert Hall' alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. At every concert, a soprano or alto from the National Youth Choir (18-25 Years) performs the opening solo verse to Once in Royal David’s City.
Project 3: International Tour to South Africa - 5-18 April 2025
- Here's a message from Principal Conductor of the choir, Nic Chalmers, about this exciting opportunity:
We are excited that as part of the 2025 Annual Programme, singers in National Youth Choir (18-25 Years) will have the opportunity to take part in an international tour. Our jam-packed trip to South Africa will feature partnerships with Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra & Cape Town Opera, a workshop project in Cape Flat schools, and several performances in Cape Town and the surrounding Stellenbosch region. We have formed partnerships with these fantastic organisations in and around Cape Town to support a legacy for the work we do the trip. On our return to the UK, we’ll be performing a tour finale concert at St John's Smith Square in London. We are so excited to be touring again, and look forward to creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Project 4: Summer Residential - dates and location TBC
- This is a week-long residential course consisting of rehearsals in preparation for professional recording sessions and a performance at the end of the course.
- Our residential courses feature plenty of social activities like quizzes, dancercise, choir 'taskmaster', film nights, yoga, football and more
- Singers will also get opportunities to pursue their own personal musical development through activities like one-on-one singing lessons, Alexander Technique sessions, masterclasses, vocal health seminars and career advice forums
Additionally, National Youth Choir (18-25 Years) are often invited to perform as part of summer music festivals like the BBC Proms. Any additional performances scheduled for summer 2025 are likely to be confirmed in spring 2025.
Book your audition
Auditions will take place online on selected dates between 10-25 June 2024, and will be available to book online via MyNYCGB between noon on 10 May and 5 June 2024