NYCoS Training Choir Info

For further information contact us or see FAQ on the NYCoS 2013 page of the NYCoS website www.nycos.co.uk

Course staff NYCoS Scotland will be led by a team of experienced staff including Mark Evans, Conductor and Andrew Nunn, NYCoS Conducting Fellow, and conductor of the award winning choir Les Sirènes. NYCoS Training Choir will be led by Frikki Walker, Director of Music at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow. He has extensive experience of working with young voices and has for the last two years worked with the NYCoS National Boys Choir. Margaret Izatt, a member of the Department of Vocal Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, will head the team of vocal coaches, all highly respected in their field. The Course Director is Ruth Townsend, and she leads a team of qualified and experienced house staff.

Over the last seventeen summers, the National Youth Choir of Scotland has established itself as one of the leading youth music organisations in Great Britain.

Its outstanding performances in 2011, ranging from appearances with the Kronos Quartet, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a Gala performance of Walton Belshazzar’s Feast were recognised in May 2012 with an award from the Royal Philharmonic Society in London.

We are inviting applications for membership of NYCoS and NYCoS Training Choir 2013 from singers aged between 16 and 24 born, studying or living in Scotland.

“a very fine performance indeed”

Keith Bruce, The Herald (Requiem by Candlelight, St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012)

“a world class choral performance”

Michael Tumelty, The Herald (Duruflé with SCO, EIF 2011)

Eoin Carey

National Youth Choir of Scotland The Mitchell, North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN Telephone: 0141 287 2856 Fax: 0141 287 2858 e-mail: admin@nycos.co.uk www.nycos.co.uk Scottish Charity No: SC024899 Registered in Scotland No: SC165149

Donald Feist

Photographs: Top right – NYCoS Artistic Director, Christopher Bell accepts a RPS Music Award. Above – NYCoS at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. Front page – NYCoS outside the Albert Hall, London at the BBC Proms.

time and informal concerts. Members receive individual singing lessons from top-flight singers currently singing professionally and teaching to the highest standards. We work hard, but we play hard too. The school has full sports facilities and a swimming pool, and there will be lots of time to enjoy them. There is also a formal dinner where members dress up and dance the night away.

Am I good enough?

This is the question most frequently asked by applicants when they phone our office or speak with their teachers. If you are enthusiastic about singing, enjoy it and are prepared to work hard to sing to your full potential we would like to hear you.

How do I apply?

The preferred way to apply for NYCoS Choirs in 2013 is online at www.nycos.co.uk/nationalchoirs. Alternatively you can download an application form from our website, and post it to the NYCoS office. The closing date for applications is Friday 11 January 2013.

NYCoS Scotland In a NYCoS Tour year there is an additional NYCoS Choir undertaking the residential course and concerts. This choir is for new applicants with the relevant experience and singers from last year’s Training Choir who are ready to move to a more advanced level.

NYCoS Scotland Dates (members must be available for all dates) 30 June - 6 July: summer course 8 - 14 July: Birmingham and London appearances 15 - 17 August: concert in Edinburgh 23 - 24 August: concert in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh 25 - 29 September: concerts in Edinburgh and Glasgow

NYCoS Training Choir (SATB) is the first step to becoming a full member of NYCoS. We expect TC2013 to be one of the biggest we have had, and so it will be undertaking a more wide-ranging concert schedule culminating in a candlelit concert in St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. (See photograph on back page) TC Dates (members must be available for all dates) 30 June - 6 July: summer course and concerts 23 August: candlelit concert in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh

The Summer Course Both NYCoS and Training Choir activities stem from a residential course, which will run from 30 June - 6 July at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. The seven days are full of intense musical activity, vocal coaching, individual singing lessons and full choir rehearsals mixed with recreation

Auditions The auditions will be held during 7, 8, 9, 21 and 22 March in Edinburgh and Glasgow and, depending on the number of applications in each area, may also be held in Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dundee and Inverness.

You will be invited to come to an informal audition where you will be asked to sing a song you have prepared, sing at sight and sing some scales to establish your range. Whilst ability to sing at sight is desirable, you should not be deterred from applying if your sight singing is currently weak. Your singing teacher or class teacher should advise you on your choice of song. It is not advisable to sing songs from shows (Cats, Les Miserables etc), as these do not always show off your full vocal potential. All applicants will be offered an audition so start practising now!

The price of success Membership of NYCoS Scotland is £495 and NYCoS Training Choir is £460. This fee is inclusive of full board accommodation at Merchiston Castle School, provision of music, and vocal coaching. A number of local authorities, schools, universities, colleges, educational trusts and firms have assisted members with fees in the past.

Don’t be put off by the cost as financial assistance is often available.

Louise Davis

NYCoS2013 is directed by NYCoS Artistic Director, Christopher Bell. In early July 2013 the choir willl be touring to central Europe. Places for this tour were allocated last year, but there may be a few reserve places to be filled. In addition NYCoS2013 will be undertaking two high profile performances in August and September for which additional singers will be needed. So if you are an experienced singer, and would like to be considered for the tour and/or additional engagements, please apply online for NYCoS2013.

All applications will be acknowledged. If you have not received acknowledgement within seven days of applying, please call the NYCoS office to check that it has arrived safely.