National Youth Training Choir of Great Britain

The National Youth Training Choir sits at the heart of the NYCGB organisation. Graduates of the National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir and talented first-time entrants develop their established vocal and musicianship skills and participate in diverse and multidisciplinary performances of demanding repertoire. To better serve its nationwide membership, the choir actually comprises two regional ensembles - Training Choir North and Training Choir South - which meet both independently and jointly for residential courses and concerts. Taking it to the next level Entrants to the National Youth Training Choir, whether internal graduates of the National Youth Boys' Choir and National Youth Girls' Choir or first-time entrants, exhibit high levels of vocal talent and musicianship. Arriving in the National Youth Training Choir, they are expected to rise to the challenge of advanced multipart repertoire in a wide array of genres and styles. For some, membership of the National Youth Training Choir is the springboard for progression to the National Youth Choir, while for all members it establishes foundations for further musical study and engagement at school, university and beyond. Music and musicianship The principles of repertoire selection which inform music choices at junior level are further developed with exposure to repertoire from all periods, genres and cultures. Emphasis is placed on the experience of collaboration with guest artists for the development of new techniques and awareness, with recent examples including projects with electronic music guru Goldie, extended vocal techniques artist Shlomo, and a two-year, four-concert folk music collaboration with musicians from the award-winning Crioch Quartet. A group-facilitated musicianship programme develops advanced tonal awareness and sight reading skills, while group Alexander Technique sessions and individual vocal lessons foster a comprehensive skill-set in each member. A national performance platform The National Youth Training Choir performs both independently and collaboratively with other NYCGB choirs at venues around the UK. Recent highlights include the world premiere of Shlomo's She Crossed My Lost Heart at Leeds Town Hall in 2013 and performances in 2015 at Coventry, Truro and Lincoln Cathedrals, as well as contributions to NYCGB's critically-acclaimed 2013 recording of choral music by Benjamin Britten.