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. 

Applications close 11 October 2026. Head to nyaw.org.uk/auditions to apply – and in 2027, you could perform for Wales! 

Inaugural David Jackson Award presented at National Youth Choir of Wales concert

The inaugural David Jackson Award was presented at the National Youth Choir of Wales’s final concert of the 2026 tour on 21 August, at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. 

The award has been created in memory of David Jackson, Chair of National Youth Arts Wales from October 2017 until summer 2025, when he stepped down because of illness. He died on 17 October 2025. 

During his time as Chair, David led the organisation through its formative years. He first focused on the leadership of the five National Youth Ensembles of Wales, then helped broaden NYAW’s remit to other art forms. He championed high-quality, collective creativity for all young people and was determined that nobody should be left behind, particularly because of disability or financial hardship. Thousands of young people across Wales have taken part in NYAW projects, ensembles and performances as a result. 

Before he died, NYAW agreed with David that a new annual award would be established in his name to celebrate the most promising singer in the National Youth Choir of Wales. At his suggestion, the award recognises the most “promising and generous” singer of the year, as selected by the choir’s conductor and tutors. 

The winner receives a cash prize and the opportunity to give a solo recital at next year’s final choir concert. 

This year’s inaugural award was presented to James Oakley. 

Photo by Kirsten McTernan

National Youth Choir of Wales’s Conductor, Tim Rhys-Evans, said: "I am delighted that this year's David Jackson Award has gone to James Oakley, a chorister who not only has been a loyal and committed member of NYCW for many years, but one who embodies the generosity that was such a central part of who David was, and why he chose that particular word for the criteria of the Award that bears his name. James has been Tenor Section Leader on the Nash for the last two years of his time with the choir and is always looking out for his fellow tenors. He greets every challenge with positivity and a great big smile... something that I know will be an important quality in his chosen career in Musical Theatre. James is deeply passionate about singing and possesses a fine voice, and a refined sensitivity for Musical Theatre performance. I'm sorry that James's time in Nash has come to an end but am grateful for all he has given to the choir. I wish him every success for the future.” 

National Youth Arts Wales intends the David Jackson Award to become an annual highlight of the National Youth Choir of Wales season. If you would like to make a donation to support this work, please visit https://www.nyaw.org.uk/donate.

National Youth Arts Wales caps its Summer 2026 Season on a High Note

This summer 355 young people from across Wales came together to train, create, rehearse and perform. Across 8 residencies, there were 19 performances and 2 public sharings - bringing Wales’s most talented young performers to packed audiences from Bangor to St David’s, Swansea to Edinburgh.

The National Youth Orchestra of Wales celebrated its 80th year with 101 young musicians performing at Prichard-Jones Hall, St Davids Cathedral and Brangwyn Hall, with the concerts also recorded for broadcast by BBC Radio 3. The National Youth Choir of Wales brought together 81 singers for performances at St Asaph Cathedral, St Davids Cathedral and Brangwyn Hall, while the National Youth Brass Band of Wales toured with 57 young musicians, performing in Bangor, St David’s and Newport. 

National Youth Dance Wales headed to the Edinburgh Fringe alongside National Youth Dance Scotland to form Celtic Collective, performing 9 sold-out shows and receiving five-star reviews. Back in Cardiff, 20 dancers began work with choreographer Osian Meilir on a new piece which will be performed this autumn. We also welcomed 16 boys aged 8-16 to our Boys Dance Day 2026 in partnership with Ballet Cymru and National Dance Company Wales.

For the National Youth Theatre of Wales, this summer marked the beginning of its 50th year, with 24 young actors working in Aberystwyth with director Hannah Noone and writer Bethan Marlow to devise brand new work. New scenes and songs were shared at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama as the first stage of work which is now being developed towards a new production in 2027. Alongside this, 24 participants took part in our Professional Pathways programme, exploring different aspects of theatre, screen and backstage work. The 50th anniversary has also given us the opportunity to reconnect with those who have been part of NYTW over the past 5 decades, with alumni already reconnecting with us and sharing photographs, programmes, archive material and memories. 

We rounded off the summer with the second National Youth Jazz Wales summer school, bringing together 45 young musicians from across Wales to work with some of the country’s leading jazz musicians at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. 

As part of the summer programme we also launched Play Your Part, our public giving campaign inviting audiences, families, alumni and supporters to help make sure that financial circumstances are not a barrier to young people taking part in National Youth Arts Wales opportunities. The support we receive through this campaign is vital to helping us continue to offer these opportunities in the future. If you have already supported the campaign, thank you. If you haven’t yet, you can still Play Your Part by making a donation and helping us reach more young people across Wales. 

The scale of the summer is important, but what stays with us most is the young people themselves - their commitment, creativity and the way they have supported each other. Across the summer they have made new friendships, gained confidence, worked with professional artists and tutors and experienced what it means to be part of a creative community. 

There is already plenty more to come, with new productions, performances and creative opportunities taking shape over the coming months. Auditions for next year’s National Youth Arts Wales music ensembles are now open - closing 11 October - and we look forward to welcoming the next group of young people and seeing where their creativity takes them. 

Thank you to all our funders, partners, tutors, professional artists, staff and welfare teams who have helped make this summer possible and to the audiences, families, alumni and supporters who have been part of it. We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved summer 2026 and look forward to what’s coming up next. 

[Photos by Evan Dawson, Kirsten McTernan, Ken Grant and Y-Dance]

National Youth Arts Wales Members Celebrate Success at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ynys Môn 2026

National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) is delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our members at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ynys Môn 2026. Across music and drama performance competitions, our members secured an impressive number of first, second and third-place awards, demonstrating the exceptional skill, creativity and dedication of young musicians and performers from across Wales.  

Congratulations to all members who competed and represented their communities with distinction! 
 

Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ynys Môn 2026 winners - NYAW members: 
 

National Youth Brass Band of Wales members  

• Brass Solo – Under 19s: 1st - Gruffydd Siôn, 2nd - Iestyn Seiriol, and 3rd - Meilir Tudur Davies  

• Guitar Solo - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 1st - Meilir Tudur Davies 

• Percussion Solo - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 2nd – Catrin-Alaw Gwilliam  
   

National Youth Choir of Wales members 

• Sir Bryn Terfel Award - Solo, 19-25 year olds: 2nd - Leisa Mair Lloyd-Edwards 

• S/A - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 1st – Mared Eos Phillips, 2nd - Celyn Richards, and 3rd - Beca Hogg 

• Folk Song Solo - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 2nd - Celyn Richards 

• Cerdd Dant Solo - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 1st – Gwenno Beech, 2nd - Celyn Richards, and 3rd - Ela Mablen Griffith-Jones 

• Individual Recitation - Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 1st - Gwenno Beech 

• Performance of a Musical Song Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 2nd - Mared Eos Phillips 
   

Heledd Wyn Newton. Photo: Kirsten McTernan

National Youth Orchestra of Wales members

• Main Composer: 1st - Heledd Wyn Newton  

• Rakhi Singh Award - Instrumental, 19-25 year olds: 2nd - Carwyn Lloyd 

• Woodwind Solo Yrs.10 and under 19 years old: 1st – Owen Frohawk, and 3rd - Alys Lavery 

• String Solo (with the exception of guitar) - Yrs. 10 and under 19 years old: 1st - Tanwen Lloyd  

National Youth Theatre of Wales members

• The Drama Medal: Glain Llwyd

• Matthew Rhys Award - monologue, 19-25 year olds: 1st - Jona Milone 

• Performance of a Musical Song 19-25 years old: 3rd - Miriam Llwyd Davies  
  
  

National Youth Arts Wales is incredibly proud of every member who took part in this year’s festival. Their success reflects not only their talent and commitment, but also the strength of youth arts provision across Wales. Congratulations! 

Your Sound of Summer! National Youth Arts Wales announces Summer 2026 Concert Tours

National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) is excited to announce the launch of its summer 2026 concert tours, with National Youth Orchestra of Wales (NYOW), National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW) and National Youth Choir of Wales (NYCW) taking to stage across Wales this July and August.   

NYOW celebrates an incredible milestone of 80 years as the world's oldest national youth orchestra in 2026, launching its Anniversary Tour in Bangor at the Prichard Jones Hall on 29 July. Leading the 100-piece orchestra for this celebratory year will be Andrew Gourlay. Hailed by The Guardian as "a star in the ascendent", Andrew has quickly established himself as an internationally recognised conductor with a dynamic, collaborative style. He has conducted extensively across the UK and Europe, is a regular guest at the BBC Proms and a passionate advocate for youth orchestras.  

Also kickstarting in North Wales, the NYCW launches its 2026 tour in St Asaph Cathedral on 19 August. Established in 1984, with its alumni including Sir Bryn Terfel and Katherine Jenkins OBE, the choir will be conducted by another former member of the Choir, Tim Rhys-Evans MBE. One of the most celebrated figures in Welsh choral music, Tim has been at the forefront of choral singing in Wales for over 20 years. 2026 marks his eighth year conducting the choir which this year is made up of over 90 young singers. Under Tim's direction, audiences can expect a vibrant mix of music - from brand-new pieces and choral favourites to a few surprises along the way. 

NYBBW will be led by Philip Harper as conductor of the Brass Band this summer. Philip, who last worked with the band in 2022, is one of the most influential conductors in the brass band world, having led The Cory Band to unprecedented success since taking the reins in 2012. Known for his high-energy rehearsals and inspiring leadership, we look forward to Philip bringing out the very best in our players in a varied programme that combines challenging competition works with entertaining concert pieces. Audiences can look forward to an evening of high-quality, energetic musicianship. The band – made up of 59 of the best young brass players in the country - finishes its 2026 tour at The Riverfront, Newport, on 23 August. 

Tickets for all three tours are on sale now. Book at nyaw.org.uk/whats-on‍ ‍and follow us on social media @nationalyouthartswales for the latest news and updates throughout the summer. 

Full concert tour dates:

National Youth Orchestra of Wales

29/07 - 7:30pm, Prichard Jones Hall, Bangor 

31/07 - 7pm, St Davids Cathedral, St Davids 

01/08 - 3pm, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea 

National Youth Choir of Wales
2026 Season Sponsor: Lux Family Law

19/08 - 7:30pm, St Asaph Cathedral, St Asaph 

20/08 - 7:30pm, St Davids Cathedral, St Davids 

21/08 - 7pm, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea 

National Youth Brass Band of Wales

21/08 - 7:30pm, Prichard Jones Hall, Bangor 

22/08 - 7:30pm, St Davids Cathedral, St Davids 

23/08 - 2pm, The Riverfront, Newport 

Meet the 2026 NYAW Conductors

NYAW 2026 Conductors: Philip Harper (left), Tim Rhys-Evans (centre), Andrew Gourlay (right)

National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) is excited to announce the conductors who’ll be leading the National Youth Arts Wales music ensembles this summer! 

With auditions completed and the 2026 membership confirmed, the stage is now set for another exciting Summer of Music featuring some of the best young musicians from across Wales. 

The National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW) is delighted to welcome back Philip Harper as its conductor this summer. Philip, who last worked with the Band in 2022, is one of the most influential conductors in the brass band world having led The Cory Band to unprecedented success since taking the reins in 2012. Known for high-energy rehearsals and inspiring leadership, Philip knows how to get the best out of the Band’s members and is planning a varied programme that combines challenging competition works with entertaining concert pieces.  

National Youth Choir of Wales (NYCW) Alumnus, Tim Rhys-Evans MBE, returns to conduct his former choir this summer in a collaboration that has seen the Choir develop and grow tremendously throughout his 8 years at the helm. Tim has been at the forefront of choral singing in Wales for over 20 years and is passionate about supporting young singers – demonstrated through his work as founder of the Aloud Charity and Only Boys and Only Kids Aloud. A former professional singer himself, Tim combines fantastic musicianship with an extensive knowledge of vocal technique which has led to him becoming renowned for creating powerful, supportive spaces where young singers can grow in confidence and skill. 

The members of the NYCW always provide high quality, energetic performances of both traditional and more contemporary choral works and this summer is sure to be no different under Tim’s leadership. 

In 2026, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales (NYOW) is excited to welcome Andrew Gourlay to conduct the Orchestra in a landmark year as we celebrate its 80th anniversary. 

Hailed by The Guardian as “a start in the ascendent”, Andrew has quickly established himself as an internationally recognised conductor with a dynamic, collaborative style. He has conducted extensively across the world including many of the UK and Europe’s leading Orchestras and is a regular conductor at the BBC Proms. Andrew is a passionate advocate for youth orchestras and has conducted the National Youth Orchestras of Australia, Columbia and Ireland as well as NYOGB.  

National Youth Arts Wales is really looking forward to him leading the NYOW in such a significant year and, as a former professional trombonist, you can rest assured that he has programmed a fantastic (brass heavy) programme that both our members and audiences will thoroughly enjoy this summer! 

Sign up to NYAW’s newsletter to be notified when our summer concerts go on sale. 

Lux Family Law Announced as National Youth Choir of Wales 2026 Season Sponsor

NYCW (2025)

The National Youth Choir of Wales (NYCW) is delighted to announce that Lux Family Law will be the official Season Sponsor for its 2026 season. This exciting partnership brings vital support to the Choir, helping to amplify young voices and broaden access to life-changing musical experiences across Wales. 

Lux Family Law’s generous sponsorship will enable NYCW to deliver a season of ambitious creative work - from high-level rehearsals to vibrant performances that highlights Wales’s young choral singers. Their support strengthens the Choir’s ability to foster creative excellence and community-building through music. 

National Youth Arts Wales Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Producer of National Youth Choir of Wales, Matthew Jones OBE, says: “We are incredibly grateful to Lux Family Law for their support. Their partnership enables us to continue our mission of nurturing young singers, providing fantastic performance opportunities and sharing exceptional choral music across Wales.” 

As Season Sponsor, Lux Family Law’s commitment will help key elements of the National Youth Choir of Wales’s activity in 2026, including enhanced training opportunities for its members and supporting our efforts to expand audience reach both within Wales and beyond. 

Lux Family Law has a strong history of supporting local communities and cultural endeavours. By partnering with the National Youth Choir of Wales, they reaffirm a shared belief in the power of the arts to inspire, connect and enrich the lives of young people across Wales. 

Charlotte Leyshon, Director of Lux Family Law, says: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Lux Family Law are sponsoring the National Youth Choir of Wales’s 2026 Summer Season. As a strong advocate for the power of the arts to foster connection and wellbeing, we are delighted to support the wonderful work they do for young singers across Wales and look forward to seeing them live in concert this summer!” 

The National Youth Choir of Wales looks forward to an exciting 2026 season celebrating Wales's young voices, beginning its first rehearsals in South Wales in April.  

Your Stage Awaits! NYAW 2026 Music Auditions Now Open

Auditions are officially open for the 2026 National Youth Brass Band, Choir, and Orchestra of Wales. Apply now for your chance to perform alongside Wales’ finest young musicians! 
 
What can you expect as a NYAW member? 

• Receive expert training from top musicians 

• Perform in fantastic venues across Wales 

• Work with internationally renowned conductors 

• Make Wales proud by representing your country 

• Make life-long friends and lasting memories! 
   

Your Stage Awaits! What are you waiting for?

 Audition Deadline: 12 October 2025 

For more information, visit our website or follow us on social media @nationalyouthartswales for updates. 

Photo by James O’Driscoll (2025)