DD13 Nat Youth Choir, NYMT or ???

[NotEvenSlightlyReasonable]

DD is a pretty competent singing, dancing, acting MT kid. She'll be 13 next summer and we're wondering about giving her the chance to do one of the bigger programmes. I've had a good look on websites and while both National Youth Choir and NYMT are obviously hugely competitive to get into and very high standard, there's no info anywhere as to roughly what that standard is.

Can anyone suggest what sort of level you'd expect to need to be as a minimum to stand a chance of getting in? I appreciate that especially with NYMT there's going to be more competition for some types than for others and so the standard might be higher for those.

Any info, or suggestions for other similar programmes welcomed! TIA

Hi- literally no idea on nymt I’m afraid - though my older dd did the bymt non auditioned course this summer which was stunning.

nycgb I think looks for potential. Dd was just 12 when she auditioned and had only had a couple of shared singing lessons. She sang Burn from Hamilton which I gather is not the norm but they were kind and worked with her.

The aural tests were gentle, but i guess they know what they are looking for.

she says not everyone reads music to sight sing fluently but most do - and most are from cathedral and church choirs. She is not (state school with very little music)- but seems to fit in fine and has so much fun.

She does have voice lessons now and has just taken grade 5 - but that is all since auditioning. It has done wonders for her confidence.

i would go for it- very lovely audition and online so convenient!

@minisnowballs thank you! DD isn't a cathedral chorister either. Has had lessons for a few years, I think she's fairly technically competent bearing in mind her age. Also state secondary so not much at school, they've just stopped the choir because of lack of support which is so disappointing! She can sight sing a bit but plenty of scope for improvement! I know she'd love the residential; she's looked at the website and also someone who sings in one of her choirs does it and said how good it is.

Good to hear about the BYMT course as well, it's also on our list of options.

NYMT very much cast for the parts/shows that they have available. It is a fantastic opportunity, ds was involved as a musician this year. The standard of dance required depends on the show, some shows are much dancier than others which require actor/singers.

DD(11) has been a member since she was 9 and sang Polly Oliver for her audition (which she was singing for her grade 3 exam and ended up getting 29/30 for). She found the aural tests and sight singing okay as she has formal lessons and also sings with choirs at school.

It is a fantastic experience and the children there live and breathe music - spontaneous singing outside and in corridors at courses is completely normal!

DD is not a cathedral chorister but does sing in other choirs, including a West End London one, and a church choir. They are very much looking for potential and I don't think grades are considered at all in the audition. The audition is very welcoming and it's most definitely worth doing.

So sad about your daughter's choirs, @NotEvenSlightlyReasonable ,.... Dd's school stopped them all over Covid but has now started some new ones - currently both tiny but at least there's nowhere to hide when singing in four parts in a group of eight to ten.

Agree about the spontaneous singing, @makeitsonumber1 - it is nice for DD to be somewhere where this is normal behaviour as most of her friends at school find it rather odd!

DD now in professional MT training auditioned for both NYMT and BYMT. She was in two BYMT shows.
NYMT audition day she was actually brewing appendicitis so her experience is maybe no representative as she became more unwell during the day.
BYMT - not only be able to sing your song, but take direction and sing it in different styles.
I think as an MT person either NYMT or BYMT will give her the best experience. DD had an amazing time on both occasions.
Choir she belonged to a really well run local choir that that tackled complex harmonies - though this hasn't been necessary.

@Lonecatwithkitten that's really interesting, I'd read about BYMT auditioned shows but looking at their website I can't see them. Thank you for the comment on being able to take directing and sing a song in different styles, that will give her something to think about!

I can only imagine what brewing appendicitis while auditioning must have been like, that really is the definition of "the show must go on".

@minisnowballs and @makeitsonumber1 spontaneous singing in the corridors would suit DD down to the ground. She sings all the time, it would be nice not to be the only one. Although right now she's missing ballet because it hasn't re started yet after the summer so she's doing that all the time as well. Must drive her friends nuts.

She definitely won’t be the only one bursting into song 😂. I’ve been listening to parts of ‘a little jazz mass’ for the best part of the afternoon……

NYMT members here! I'm not sure how to give guidance on 'standard' other than to say it's very high but the kids have a range of experience - from west end 'veterans' to those who are pretty new to it. It really depends on the show and roles are very specifically cast. It's pretty competitive, especially so for girls ages 13-17 I'd say, who are in the grey zone between child roles and adult roles. Although this year NYMT introduced the showcase concert which enabled them to cast more mid-teens and was fantastic!! They usually run skills training workshops (non-auditioned) in the holidays which are really worthwhile to get a feel for the organisation and also valuable training / audition prep! The audition process is really constructive and great experience whatever the outcome- and it's important to recognise that lots of super super talented kids don't get cast each year, no reflection on their talent just that there wasn't the right space for them. Of all the things my DC has done (NCO, chamber music courses, local theatre, professional panto, BYMT) NYMT is hands down her favourite and where she has found her 'tribe'. To the point that we now don't commit to anything else until we know NYMT outcomes....

NYCGB is DD’s favourite singing activity (she wants to do both courses next year) but it is much more classical and chorister voice than MT. So it slightly depends what style your dd prefers.

They do do some jazz and pieces by modern composers, but the style is definitely more classical for their concerts, at least the ones I’ve been too.

NYCGB is residential, and their pastoral care is brilliant - I’ve had cause to use it and they were very responsive, sensitive and kind to dd.

Re NYMT.
I would say that if your daughter is interested, I would audition at this age, and not leave it until she is 16/17+. I know that there will be people who don’t agree with me on here, but they often cast the same group of people a few years on the run, especially mid-older teenage girls.
My daughter auditioned a few times and got to final recalls, but her auditions always had in them kids who were known to the team, and it was quite obvious that they would be cast, and they were.
No sour grapes. My daughter enjoyed the experience, and is doing fine, but it is good to be aware of these things.