NYCGB 2018-19 Young Composers: Lillie Harris, Harry Baker, Shruthi Rajasekar, Joanna Ward. Images: Kevin Leighton, Arthur Vickery Reymash Photo; Ruari Paterson-Achenbach.

---

1 November 2018

NYCGB reveals 2018-19 Fellows and Young Composers

NYCGB is delighted to reveal the eight young musicians selected to join the fourth edition of its Fellowship Programme, and the four young composers selected to join the first edition of its new Young Composer Scheme with digital partner NMC Recordings.

The 2018-19 Fellows are: Ailsa Campbell (21, Soprano) from Newcastle; Gabriella Noble (24, Soprano) from London; Danni O’Neill (22, Soprano) from Canterbury; Clare Sutherland (22,Alto) from Harrow; Jack Harberd (22, Tenor) from Oxford; Benedict Munden (20, Tenor) from London; George Cook (22, Baritone) from Ipswich; Sam Gilliatt (22, Baritone) from Manchester. The 2018-19 Young Composers are: Harry Baker (21) from London; Lillie Harris (24) from Canterbury; Shruthi Rajasekar (21) from Plymouth, Minnesota; Joanna Ward (20) from Newcastle.

---

2018-19 NYCGB Fellows: Clare Sutherland, Ailsa Campbell, Benedict Munden, George Cook, Jack Harberd, Gabriella Noble, Danni O'Neill, Sam Gilliatt. Image: Louise Cowley.

---

The two groups will receive dedicated training and development opportunities on their separate full-year programmes, and will also collaborate to develop and present new music for vocal ensembles. Programme highlights will include:

Fellowship

• Section Leader positions in the 2018-19 National Youth Choir, leading peers on NYC’s new Annual Programme in its first year.
• Work experience on NYCGB’s national outreach programme for schools and Music Education Hubs, and on NYCGB junior choir courses.
• NEW: Free student membership of AOTOS (Association of Teachers of Singing) including masterclasses at national teacher events, and bespoke mentoring for those interested in singing teaching as a career pathway.
• Performance opportunities as an octet, including a studio recording session, and as part of the National Youth Chamber Choir.
• NEW: Performing opportunities: promotion to Making Music’s members, 3,500 music groups across the UK
• Self-managed music video project.

Young Composers Scheme (new programme for 2018-19)

• Individual mentoring from NYCGB Artistic Director Ben Parry with guest mentors including Benji Merrison and Anna Meredith.
• Concert performances of works completed on the scheme by the National Youth Choir at Snape Maltings (Summer 2019) and NYCGB Fellowship (Winter 2020).
• Recording and release of works completed on the scheme by digital partner NMC Recordings.
• Shared residencies with the National Youth Choir in Spring and Summer 2019, and independent creative retreats at Aldeburgh, provided by the Britten-Pears Foundation.
• Personal innovation fund of £500 to develop creative approaches to work as part of the scheme.
• Career and profile development opportunities through NYCGB and NMC Recordings.

---

NYCGB Artistic Director Ben Parry said:

2018-19 looks to be a very exciting year for NYCGB with the launch of a brand new programme, the Young Composers’ Scheme, which brings together four young writers from a wide range of backgrounds and styles, who will work with the choirs over the year to create unique and imaginative new music for singers, alongside the fourth incarnation of our Fellowship Programme, with another eight exceptional young musicians who will learn to lead, perform and educate at the heart of our organisation. The auditions for both schemes have been impressive and revealed a wealth of brilliant talent. I am so looking forward to collaborating with all our new recruits, and to discovering how they progress as musicians.

NMC Recordings Chief Executive Anne Rushton said:

NMC Recordings is very excited to welcome Lillie, Harry, Joanna and Shruthi and to see how they develop their wide range of styles and ideas, working with such skilled mentors and musicians.  We very much look forward to working with these talented composers, recording their resulting work and taking it to a global digital audience.

AOTOS Chair Elect Nicola-Jane Kemp said:

It is our great pleasure to be partnering with the NYCGB Fellowship for the first time. We hope that the offer of free entry to all our events and a bespoke personal teaching mentor for the year will start them on their lifetime journey discovering the multifaceted craft of singing teaching. In return, our membership will benefit from the Fellowship’s skills through their participation in demonstration classes given by our experienced team of presenters around the UK.

Meet the 2018-19 Fellows

Meet the 2018-19 Young Composers

---

Want to get all of our latest news and updates?

SIGN UP