NYCoS National Girls Choir, chosen from Scotland’s best young female singing talent, demonstrates a freshness of voice and unrivalled diction that receives consistent praise. Performing regularly throughout Scotland, the Girls Choir is invited to sing at world-class music festivals and events including BBC Proms in the Park, Edinburgh International Festival, Aberdeen International Youth Festival and Lammermuir Festival. The Choir has also made several TV and radio appearances, including BBC One Scotland’s Christmas Celebration watchnight service in 2014. The Choir released two commercial CDs, prior to Only a Singing Bird, both of which were critically acclaimed. The first is a recording of two complementary works; Britten A Ceremony of Carols and the rarely-performed Poston An English Day-Book (2010). The second, also on the Signum label, is Bennett Letters to Lindbergh (2012).
Membership of NYCoS National Girls Choir is granted by audition on a yearly basis and is open to girls who are born, resident or studying in Scotland. The Choir has two sections, suitable for all ages and stages: National Girls Choir (NGC) is for experienced singers who can cope with the advanced musical and vocal demands of a national choir; National Girls Training Choir is for girls who audition successfully but whose voices are not quite ready for NGC, or who need a bit more choral experience. The girls, aged 12–16, travel from all over Scotland to take part in an intensive six- day residential course at Loretto School in Musselburgh, East Lothian, where time is split between high-quality vocal coaching, musicianship training and full choir rehearsals with highly-qualified staff who are experts in their fields. “This youth choir is so on it - the vitality, the diction, everything that you want from a young choir is there. It’s beautiful; it’s very grown up but youthful too.” - Jeremy Summerly on BBC Radio 3.