Perform for Wales: Auditions open for Wales’s 2027 youth music ensembles
Young musicians aged 16 to 22 have until 11 October to apply for the National Youth Orchestra, Choir and Brass Band of Wales 2027
If you want to perform at some of the best concert halls in the country, alongside the best young musicians in the country, now's your chance. National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) has opened auditions for its three flagship music ensembles for 2027: the National Youth Orchestra of Wales (NYOW), the National Youth Choir of Wales (NYCW) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW).
Orchestra members will be working towards a major symphony under maestro Carlo Rizzi, an internationally renowned conductor whose career has taken him to La Scala in Italy and The Met in New York. Carlo has a long-standing relationship with NYOW and Senior Producer, Matthew Jones, says: "Once again, it will be an experience not to miss!"
NYOW (2026)
NYOW musicians will be coached by a team of first-class tutors, starting with pre-residency rehearsals on 20 and 21 March 2027. The summer residency runs from 20 July to 1 August, ending with a four-night tour: Prichard Jones Hall in Bangor on 29 July, UWTSD in Lampeter on 30 July, St Davids Cathedral on 31 July and finishing at Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on 1 August.
Singers joining NYCW will become part of a choir known for energetic performances of a wide range of music, from classical repertoire and brand-new commissions to music theatre and arrangements of pop songs. The Choir will once again be led by Tim Rhys-Evans, who has conducted NYCW since 2018 and is a former member himself. An internationally renowned choral conductor and vocal specialist, he has led the Choir from strength to strength for almost a decade.
Choir members will meet for pre-residency rehearsals on 24 and 25 March 2027, before a summer residency at Bangor University from 17 to 27 August. The residency ends with a three-night concert tour: St Asaph Cathedral in Denbighshire on 25 August, St Davids Cathedral in West Wales on 26 August and Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on 27 August.
Brass musicians also have an exciting summer ahead with Margaret Antrobus conducting NYBBW for the first time. A conductor, teacher and baritone player active across the UK and Norway, she conducted the European Youth Brass Band in 2025 and has judged major contests including the 2026 European Championships. The band can expect a mix of brass band standards, demanding test pieces and concert favourites, with repertoire to be announced soon.
NYBBW members will meet for pre-residency rehearsals on 23 and 24 March 2027, before a summer residency from 14 to 22 August. The residency ends with a three-night concert tour: Great Hall, Swansea, on 20 August, Aberystwyth Arts Centre on 21 August and Prichard Jones Hall, Bangor, on 22 August.
NYBBW (2025)
Who can apply?
Applicants should be aged between 16 and 22 on 31 August 2027, which means you can audition at 15 if you'll turn 16 by then. You must have been born in Wales, live in Wales, or be studying full-time in Wales. Instrumentalists should normally be around Grade 8 standard, though you don't need to have passed the exam.
What's the audition like?
NYAW runs its auditions as friendly, supportive workshops. You'll have time in a warm-up room before meeting a panel of two or three people. Expect to perform pieces of your choice, some scales and, in most cases, these are short, prepared extracts. Audition packs with instrument-specific guidance are available on the ensemble audition pages.
Auditions take place across Wales from 18 November to 6 December. Orchestra and Brass Band applicants can also submit a video audition by 22 November. Results will be sent out during the week of 14 December.
What does it cost?
The audition fee is £30, but free auditions are available to anyone who can't afford it; just tick the fee waiver box on the form with no questions asked.
