{{Short description|British family of youth choirs}} {{Infobox choir | name = National Youth Choir | image = NYCGB at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016.jpg | image_size = 260px | alt = National Youth Choir at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016. | caption = National Youth Choir at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016. | alias = NYC | former_name = National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, British Youth Choir | headquarters = Durham, England | founding = {{start date|1983}} | artistic director = Lucy Hollins | chief conductor = Nicholas Chalmers, Linsey Callaghan | label = NYCR, NMC, Decca, Delphian, Sony, Signum & others | website = {{URL|https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk}} }}
The '''National Youth Choir''', formerly known as the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and the British Youth Choir, is a family of choirs for outstanding young singers, and those with outstanding potential, in the United Kingdom. It comprises five choirs for around 900 children and young people between the ages of 9 and 25:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our choirs |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/Pages/Category/our-choirs |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref> * National Youth Choir (9–15 years), formerly National Youth Girls' and Boys' Choir of Great Britain * National Youth Choir (15–18 years), formerly National Youth Training Choir of Great Britain * National Youth Choir (18–25 years), formerly National Youth Choir of Great Britain * National Youth Voices, formerly Laudibus and National Youth Chamber Choir (18–25 years)
The National Youth Choir also has a number of additional programmes and schemes, including its three Emerging Professional Artist programmes, the Fellowship,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fellowship |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/fellowship |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref> Young Conductors and Young Composers<ref>{{Cite web |title=Young Composers |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/young-composers |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref> schemes, and its Learning & Engagement<ref>{{Cite web |title=Learning & Engagement |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/learning-engagement |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref> programme.
The organisation also has a strong community of over 1,000 former members, National Youth Choir Alumni,<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Youth Choir Alumni |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/alumni |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref> who often participate in performances alongside National Youth Choir's flagship choirs.
==Background and performance history== The National Youth Choir was founded in 1983 by Carl Browning, with its five choirs have a membership of over 900 young singers aged 9 to 25 from across the UK.
The NYC regularly gives performances at venues and festivals such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, the Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, Edinburgh Festival, Snape Proms, the Royal Variety Performance<ref>{{Cite web |last=Charity |first=Royal Variety |title=RVP 2023 - ARTISTS ANNOUNCED {{!}} Royal Variety Charity |url=https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/news/detail/rvp-2023-artists-announced |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.royalvarietycharity.org |language=en}}</ref> and the BBC Proms<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Proms |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/performers/97c2fd16-c79f-4eee-9c35-06b1c6bed974 |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=BBC Music Events |language=en}}</ref> as well as at events of national significance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Centenary Commemoration of the Battle of Amiens {{!}} Royal Air Force |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/raf-music-services/news/centenary-commemoration-of-the-battle-of-amiens/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=www.raf.mod.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref> High-profile international artists NYC has worked with range from Daniel Barenboim<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Proms: Daniel Barenboim Conducts Beethoven's 9th Symphony |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/31/barenboim-beethoven-cycle |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref> to Kylie Minogue & Melanie C, along with top choirs including The Sixteen, Tenebrae, The Tallis Scholars, BBC Singers and many others. The music it creates and performs encompasses a wide diversity of genres and vocal styles, and NYC regularly creates and releases audio and video recordings on its own record label, '''National Youth Choir Recordings''', and online platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recordings |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/recordings |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref>
NYC also supports the development of emerging young professionals through its '''Fellowship''' programme for future choral leaders and performers, its '''Young Composers''' scheme and its '''Young Conductors''' programme (launched in 2024).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emerging Professional Artists programme |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/emerging-professional-artist-programmes |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref>
==Musical directors and conductors==
=== Current creative director === Lucy Hollins was appointed Creative Director of National Youth Choir in Spring 2023, succeeding Ben Parry, who held the position from 2012 to 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lucy Hollins appointed new Creative Director of National Youth Choirs of Great Britain |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/news/lucy-hollins-new-creative-director |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=National Youth Choirs GB |language=en}}</ref>
=== Current principal conductors ===
* National Youth Choir (18–25 years) & National Youth Voices: Nicholas Chalmers<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-14 |title=Nicholas Chalmers appointed Principal Conductor of the National Youth Choir (18-25 Years) |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/news/nicholas-chalmers-appointed-principal-conductor-of-the-national-youth-choir-18-25-years |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref> * National Youth Choir (15–18 years): Matthew Quinn * National Youth Choir (9–15 years): Lynsey Callaghan<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-24 |title=Lynsey Callaghan announced as Principal Conductor of National Youth Choir (9-15 Years) |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/news/lynsey-callaghan-announced-as-principal-conductor-of-national-youth-choir-9-15-years |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref>
=== Current conductors ===
* National Youth Choir (9-15 years): Patrick Barrett, Mariana Rosas & Matthew Roughley<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-03 |title=Three brilliant conductors to join the 9-15 choirs team |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/news/three-brilliant-conductors-to-join-the-9-15-choirs-team |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref>
=== Former conductors and musical directors ===
* Mike Brewer<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-04-27 |title=Michael Brewer charged with rape of student at Chetham's School |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17863095 |access-date=2026-03-10 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Ben Parry<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben Parry - Honorary Fellow - National Youth Choir |url=https://www.nycgb.org.uk/ben-parry-honorary-fellow |access-date=2023-10-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Greg Hallam<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conductor – Greg Hallam |url=https://greghallam.co.uk/?page_id=51 |access-date=2023-02-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Robbie Jacobs<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet our alumni |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/alumni/meet-our-alumni?departments=choral-conducting |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Royal Academy of Music |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Esther Jones<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tenebrae |date=2016-09-08 |title=Interview with Esther Jones {{!}} Blogs, News |url=https://www.tenebrae-choir.com/blogs/interview-with-esther-jones |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Tenebrae Choir |language=en}}</ref> * Dominic Ellis Peckham<ref>{{Cite web |last=Supercool |title=Dominic Ellis-Peckham |url=https://www.brittenpearsarts.org/profile/dominic-ellis-peckham |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=Britten Pears Arts |language=en}}</ref> * Rachel Staunton<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet our alumni |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/alumni/meet-our-alumni?departments=choral-conducting |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Royal Academy of Music |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Greg Beardsell<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-09 |title=Celebrating Principal Conductors Greg, Joanna and Lucy Joy |url=https://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk/news/celebrating-principal-conductors-greg-joanna-and-lucy-joy |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=National Youth Choir |language=en}}</ref> * Joanna Tomlinson<ref name=":0" /> * Lucy Joy Morris<ref name=":0" />
==Recordings==
National Youth Choir operates its own record label, National Youth Choir Recordings (NYCR), which releases music recorded by its choirs via Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and other major music streaming services. The label was started in 2015 and publishes new recordings each month, which are regularly featured on playlists curated by each streaming platform's editorial team, as well as being broadcast on national radio stations, including BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and Scala.
Prior to 2015, National Youth Choir's recordings were primarily released on record labels including Delphian,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Records |first=Delphian |title=All Releases |url=https://www.delphianrecords.com/collections/all-releases/national-youth-choir-of-great-britain?sort_by=created-descending |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Delphian Records |language=en}}</ref> Priory<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search - National Youth Choir {{!}} Britain's Premier Church Music Label |url=https://www.prioryrecords.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=National%20Youth%20Choir |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.prioryrecords.co.uk}}</ref> and EMI. The Choirs have also performed on discs for Decca, Classic FM and Signum Records,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Messiah...Refreshed! |url=https://signumrecords.com/product/messiah-refreshed/SIGCD610/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Signum Records |language=en-US}}</ref> most notably including the premiere recording of Karl Jenkins' ''The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace'' (2001).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Armed Man – A Mass For Peace: CD |url=https://karljenkins.decca.com/products/the-armed-man-a-mass-for-peace-cd |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Karl Jenkins UK |language=en}}</ref>
National Youth Choir also partners with NMC Recordings to produce its annual "Young Composers" albums: a set of pieces for singers aged 18 to 25 and NYC's Fellowship Ensemble composed by that year's cohort of young composers.
==Notable former members== * Rich Batsford – pianist, composer and singer-songwriter * James Burton – conductor and composer * Karen Danzig – singer/songwriter * Rae Hendrie – actress * Andrew Johnston – came third in ''Britain's Got Talent'' * Jon Robyns – West End star of ''Les Misérables'' and ''Avenue Q'' * Ben Thapa of G4 (band)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.nationalyouthchoir.org.uk Official website] *''Birmingham Post'' (15 April 2008). [http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/music/review-national-youth-choirs-great-3961474 "Review: National Youth Choirs of Great Britain at Symphony Hall"]
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Category:1983 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:British choirs Category:Musical groups established in 1983 Category:National choirs Category:Youth choirs Category:Youth organisations based in the United Kingdom