National Youth Choir for musical theatre-focused 15 year old?

I think that it's a great idea to get her to widen her horizons and it sounds like she has a wonderful passion and talent.

On a practical note, I think she has missed the auditions for Easter and Summer 2027, so she would be looking to audition next October for 2028.

My DC have done NYC courses and they have loved them and made loads of friends. It's also been really positive for them as they have headed off to uni only to bump into old friends from NYC.

In terms of the standard; I agree that it is variable. But they are exposed to a range of composers and pieces and that can only be a good thing. Some concerts are better than others, and venues can be a bit random!

In terms of the 'types' of singers; I reckon you have a range. There are kids who have been choristers since they were 7 to kids who just love singing. I reckon the majority are keen ensemble singers; there are very few solos and so I don't think it is as cut throat as some courses.😀

She may love it or hate it, but if she is looking for a career in the sector it can definitely add something to her CV.
It can help with developing ensemble skills; she'll have to learn to blend, and that might give her an edge when it comes to auctions for chorus work.

In the older choirs they also give members the opportunities to lead sections, which can also be really useful.

So I would encourage her to go for it. Good luck!

If you are in the UK then after a successful audition, she will then be either on a degree course with a student loan, receive funding via a Dada, or possibly even be offered a scholarship if she's that good.

What genres and level is she at dance-wise?

Where do her interests lie and what courses does she want to apply for - straight drama, musical theatre at a vocational college, singing at the Royal College or similar, or some other sort of university performing arts-associated degree?

My DD was in NYC and it was a wholly positive experience. It opened doors ( she didn’t need to audition for other choirs later as NYC standard acknowledged as very high ). She made friends who she subsequently met at Uni and other music groups and sang with them in chamber choirs / opera groups etc . She gained choral scholarship on the strength of NYC experience. Really worth doing

My niece has been in NYC a few years. She enjoys it but the standard of music (particularly this last year) seemed fairly average. The songs were modern and not hugely challenging, the musical tone and quality of singing was decent but not exceptional. Her school choir is stronger. You can listen to NYT performances online and see what you think.

She has made some very strong friendships, and enjoys it, but it’s not been at the standard we expected. It is long days but if your DD is used to learning music and singing she might find the pace slow and boring, they’re learning at a much slower pace than other choirs DN has been in.

So from us, mixed feedback, so much so that we didn’t bother for our DD.

@Biscuits84 Keeping as many doors open as possible is a good idea, whether it be Plan A, B, C or whatever. The performing arts world is about as unreliable a career choice as you could possibly get. We've been through all that ourselves and come out the other side.

There is no point in pushing your dc down a particular path towards a goal simply because you think it is a good idea and it is what you think she should do. She needs to want to go there.

What she needs to think about at the moment is a sensible range of A-levels alongside her current performing arts interests, as a back-up plan should she not be successful at audition for full-time performing arts training at 18.

My son is in the NYC.I'm not musical at all myself but some of the music they did this year at NYC sounded like it could've been in the score for Matilda. (Someone with a musical ear may disagree). Or world songs. But it was hummable.

I liked it. The other choir he's in favours obscurer new music , and baroque chants but this was more melodic.

As the person said above, at NYC they are singing for the whole day..I think it's excellent for musicianship and choral singing, but it's got to be what you love. If she's joining at 15 too, then many of the people she'd be with may be in their 3rd or 4th year there. The following year it would be re auditioned.

But if musical theatre is what she enjoys then that's probably what I'd encourage as a parent, especially if she can dance too. My friend was in NYMT a very long time ago...in Ragged child she was able to perform it in new York and Canada . It was incredible. One is not more prestigious than the other .

If she really wants to try something very different, Glyndebourne used to do a youth opera which might give you the musical expansion you think she'll benefit from with the theatricality part? If they don't still run it some of the other opera companies like Opera North might have a similar offering

As I understand it, National Youth Choir courses are not for the faint hearted. The days are long and full on - singing all day and all night, no other activities whatsoever, for the whole course. Talking, not concentrating or not being 100 per cent committed to the choir is not tolerated. The concerts at the end of the course are always superb but there is a lot of waiting around on the day of the concert and that can be boring. Total classical music bods love it, they love it so much, but I’m not sure your daughter would be quite so impressed.

@Biscuits84 Is she planning on a future career in MT?

Plus: If she genuinely likes music, 5 days exposure to other genre(s) should be fun. Classical repertoire has different magic and short term workshops are good way to try it.

Risk: Does she have any previous choir experience? If not, it might be annoying experience to be one of the oldest there and clueless.
Similarly, if some children are returning, it might be harder to properly bond with them being 15.

But what does SHE want to do, OP?

My dc did a couple of things with nyc and they were full on choral - classical, but it’s been 10 years so things change

Would she consider NYMT/BYMT which would be the specific genre of MT. But currently it seems she mainly prefers the the legit style this might expose her to standard broadway, contemporary and juke box styles.
My DD made lifelong friends on her two BYMT productions some of whom she has now worked professionally with. They also counted as professional credits on her professional portfolio.

Well presumably she will only do it if she wants to?

I really dont think you can engineer their likes and dislikes. My DD is MT to her core but also sings opera brilliantly and her conservatoire applications reflect a mix of them both, plus she has a mix of singing teachers to reflect the different styles.

But I couldn't have made her do any of this. She does what she wants and what she is passionate about.

What does your DD want to do?