Courses: what to bring, what to wear Expand Bedding is provided, but please bring sufficient comfortable, respectable clothing to last the duration of the course, a towel, toothbrush etc., pencils, water bottle, folder in which to hold your music, NYCGB concert folder and NYCGB purple polo-shirt (the polo-shirt and concert folder are given to new members on the first course they attend). You'll wear your purple NYCGB polo-shirt for any activities that take place off-site such as Pop-up concerts, or rehearsals at the concert venue, but you don't need to wear it for every-day rehearsals. For the concert you must wear the following please check your relevant 'Uniform' guide: National Youth Boys, Girls and Training Choir: click here National Youth Choir, Annual Programme: click here
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: Where and when do courses take place? Expand This FAQ updated: 10 October 2018 National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir, National Youth Training Choir We offer all Boys' Choir, Girls' Choir and Training Choir members two residential courses per year. There is always a Spring course, held in the Easter holidays, and a Summer course, held in the Summer holidays. School timetables vary; we timetable courses to coincide with the majority of state school Easter and Summer holidays. The courses are always held at boarding schools (see Where will I sleep and what is the food like?) or occasionally university campuses with enough rooms for everybody and on-site rehearsal spaces. Because NYCGB is a national organisation with a national membership, we try to hold courses around the UK, with recent locations including Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Yorkshire, County Durham, Wales and Scotland. This means that everyone must be prepared to travel, and our Financial Assistance Scheme can help with costs. We keep the latest course dates and venue information for the coming year listed on the Courses page of our website. DATES & VENUES National Youth Choir Unlike other NYCGB choirs, the National Youth Choir operates a year-round Annual Programme of several projects, some of which are residential and some of which are non-residential. We will communicate the dates and locations of your Annual Programme for the coming year when we invite you to accept your place. Further information about the National Youth Choir's Annual Programme can be found on the National Youth Choir page of our website. FIND OUT MORE Tours Another special feature of National Youth Choir membership is the chance to tour internationally. Tours are held every three to five years, most recently to China and Hong Kong in 2016.
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: How long are courses and can you take time off? Expand National Youth Boys' Choir and National Youth Girls' Choir Boys' and Girls' Choir residential courses are five days long. Members usually arrive around lunchtime on the first day, spend four nights away from home and the fifth day is concert day. Members leave at the end of the concert. National Youth Training Choir Training Choir courses are usually around eight days long. Members usually arrive around lunchtime on the first day, spend seven nights away from home and the eighth day is concert day. Members leave at the end of the concert. Time Off Requests for absence during courses may be granted only under exceptional circumstances as missing any part of a course will make it difficult for members to get the most out of it and may devalue the work put in by other members. Due to the amount of information given at the start of the course, members attending their first course must arrive in time for registration. Requests to arrive up to an hour after Registration may be granted for members who have attended a course previously. Only requests for missing up to a four hours mid-course may be granted. No member may miss concert day. Summer courses often fall over GCSE and/or A-Level results days. If this happens, we suggest that members ask their school or college for a way of accessing results remotely. We allow time away from rehearsals on the morning of results day to access results and make necessary phone calls but do not allow members to leave the course. We offer strong pastoral support at this time. Please complete the Absence Request form which members/parents can find under 'Resources' within 'My NYCGB', giving as much information as you can, and email the completed form to [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than two weeks before the start of the course. NB NYCGB’s refund policy remains in place whatever the outcome of this request i.e. if we are unable to grant leave of absence, and you cancel the booking, any refund would be in line with the policy stated HERE. National Youth Choir The National Youth Choir runs differently to other NYCGB choirs, with a year-round Annual Programme of several projects, including a non-residential introductory weekend and concert project, a mini-residential of around five days, and an extended residential of around 10 days. Attendance is compulsory at all Annual Programme projects. Short term leave requests may be granted in exceptional circumstances, see below for further details. Time Off Requests for absence during projects may be granted only under exceptional circumstances as missing any part of a course will make it difficult for members to get the most out of it and may devalue the work put in by other members. Please complete the Absence Request form which members can find under 'Resources' within 'My NYCGB', giving as much information as you can, and email the completed form to [email protected] before commencing the Annual Programme.
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: What happens on courses? Expand This FAQ updated: 10 October 2018 National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir, National Youth Training Choir Every course is different, but all are full of rehearsals, tuition, workshops, social activities and finish with a concert so that your family and friends - and the general public - can enjoy the results of your hard work and preparations. On a regular course day, you'll start with warm-ups at 9am and finish your last rehearsal at 8pm. To keep you rested there are always two 30 minute refreshment breaks, a one hour lunch break, and a long afternoon break for games, social activities, or your own free time. Evening social activities are always offered after the last rehearsal for those who want to take part. To see what it's like and how members find it, watch our Residential Courses: Revealed! video on YouTube: WATCH THE VIDEO National Youth Choir The National Youth Choir's Annual Programme is made up of several projects (see What does membership involve?). The first project is a discovery session including workshops in vocal styles and techniques, and other skills including stagecraft, and rehearsals to prepare the year's repertoire. The Christmas concert project will see you present one or more festive programmes in a major venue. The third and fourth projects, both residential, offer opportunities including masterclasses from visiting professionals, collaboration with the NYCGB Young Composers, recording sessions, and high-profile performances as part of major programmed events or series. Residential courses follow a similar schedule to Boys' Choir, Girls' Choir and Training Choir courses, though there is more flexibility and independence due to the age of National Youth Choir members (18-25). Our Residential Courses: Revealed! video on YouTube includes the National Youth Choir, and testimonies from National Youth Choir members. WATCH THE VIDEO
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: Where will I sleep and what is the food like? Expand This FAQ updated: 10 October 2018 All NYCGB Choirs On residential courses you will sleep in a boarding house on the same site as the rehearsal spaces. Bedding is provided but you should bring your own towel and toiletries. At least two members of pastoral staff are located in each boarding house to look after you (except on National Youth Choir courses where all members are aged 18+) Accommodation varies from course to course, but usually you will be in a shared room with one or more other members of the same age and gender. Sometimes you will have your own room. Where rooms are shared, we try to make sure that new members are put together. Singers need fuel! Three cooked meals are offered on every full day of the course. We do our best to meet all special dietary requirements, and we will always ask you to update us on your dietary requirements when booking your courses.
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: What are the course staff like? Expand This FAQ updated: 10 October 2018 National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir, National Youth Training Choir All courses have music staff and pastoral staff. Music staff are led by the course conductor and are in charge of rehearsals and musicianship sessions. Within the music staff, singing teachers and section leaders keep an eye on individual and ensemble vocal health and musical learning, helping you to learn and develop. Our music staff have often been members of NYCGB in the past. When they're not working on NYCGB courses they are often full-time professional musicians, or completing advanced musical studies. They get huge satisfaction out of your progress and development, and they will always support you to succeed. Pastoral and assistant staff are led by the course manager and a dedicated head of pastoral care (who is usually a nurse, teacher or health/social care professional). They are there to look after the well-being and safety of all members - as well as to keep you entertained! Pastoral activity is further overseen by NYCGB's Head of Safeguarding, and represented at board level by a Trustee Lead for Safeguarding. In practice, music staff and pastoral staff roles overlap, with all staff members taking equal care to be aware of how every individual member is getting along. You can find more information about our Safeguarding approach and policies on the Policies page of our website. FIND OUT MORE National Youth Choir Because National Youth Choir members are aged 18+, staff teams on National Youth Choir residential courses are smaller. There is always a course conductor and course manager, as well as musical and pastoral staff appropriate to the course and project.
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: Are courses compulsory? Expand This FAQ updated: 10 October 2018 National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir, National Youth Training Choir Although we'd love it if you could attend both the Spring and Summer courses, we realise that sometimes you're not able to do so. However, to ensure that standards stay high, we have a 'consecutive courses' rule. If you miss two consecutive courses, you will need to re-audition. For example: If you missed Spring 2018 and Summer 2018, you would need to re-audition in Autumn 2018 to be eligible to attend Spring 2019 or Summer 2019. If you missed Summer 2018, and know you'll miss Spring 2019, you would need to re-audition in Autumn 2018 to be eligible to attend Summer 2019. As we don't insist that all members attend both courses, the number of members within a choir is greater than the number of places available on each course, so they do sometimes fill up before the booking deadline. We recommend that you book your places as soon as possible and don't wait for the deadline as you may find that the course is fully booked! National Youth Choir Unlike other NYCGB choirs, the National Youth Choir operates a year-round Annual Programme of several projects. There is a non-residential introductory weekend in the Autumn, a non-residential Christmas concert project, a short residential course in the Easter holidays, and a long residential course in the Summer holidays. National Youth Choir members are expected to commit to all projects in the Annual Programme.
COURSES & MEMBERSHIP: What do courses cost and how do I pay? Expand This FAQ updated: 31st March 2020 We are able to subsidise the cost of our courses by an average of 33% thanks to the generous support of numerous trusts, foundations and donors. Below you can see the cost per place to NYCGB, and the course fees that members pay. You can find details of our courses and their costs by clicking here. This takes you to our "courses" page. Booking and payment: National Youth Boys' Choir, National Youth Girls' Choir, National Youth Training Choir Financial assistance is available. We ask that you book at least one course each year and that you don’t miss two consecutive courses. You do this via the My NYCGB online members area by the end of January and deposit(s) are paid at the time of booking. Booking and payment: National Youth Choir Financial assistance is available. We ask that you commit to the full Annual Programme when you are offered your place in June. The Annual Programme fee is payable in instalments across the year, you can find more information on the 'choirs' page. Click here. Refund Policy In the unlikely event that NYCGB be forced to cancel a course for any reason, we will advise you at the earliest opportunity and refund all fees in full. However, NYCGB cannot take responsibility for any other costs incurred such as pre-booked travel and/or accommodation. If you cancel a Junior or Training Choir course place booking: If you cancel before booking closes all fees are refunded minus £50 admin fee. Up to 4 weeks before the start of the Course, 50% of fees (-£50) will be refunded. Within 4 weeks prior to the start of the Course, no fees will be refunded. If you cancel your place on the National Youth Choir Annual Programme: Payments will not be refundable. Payments are made through regular instalements which are divided annually, detailed on the annual programme. Insurance As you would for any other trip, we suggest that you obtain travel insurance. NYCGB cannot be held responsible for any loss of personal possessions, reimburse pre-booked travel/accommodation or refund course fees should you have to withdraw e.g. in the event of illness.
Courses: taking time off during a course Expand You are required to register on the first day of a course, usually around lunchtime, and remain on the course until after the concert. In exceptional circumstances, requests to be absent for a short time mid-course may be sympathetically considered, but missing any part of a course will make it difficult for you to get the most out of it and may devalue the work put in by other members. If you are expecting exam results during your summer course, please ask your school for a way of accessing your results. We allow time away from rehearsals on the morning of results for you to make necessary phone calls and offer strong pastoral support at this time. Free time is also available during the evenings, either for relaxation, or revision if you have exams looming!
Musicianship Preparation Expand We sometimes suggest that you brush up on your musicianship skills and will add links to any worksheets etc. in advance of a course below so watch this space...