National Youth

Choir

of Wales

Your stage awaits!

Registrations for National Youth Choir of Wales 2025 auditions are NOW OPEN!

“National Youth Choir of Wales residencies are always guaranteed to deliver the very best training and performance experiences as well as being a huge amount of fun.

You’ll learn from top-class creative teams and make life-long friendships whilst having the honour of representing your country doing something you love.

 What more can you want?”

A note from NYCW Producer

Matthew Jones

National Youth Choir of Wales Producer

2026 Programme

Conductor: Tim Rhys-Evans MBE

In 2025, Tim Rhys-Evans will mark his seventh year as conductor of NYCW, where he was once a member. A former professional opera singer, Tim discovered his true passion in creating and facilitating music, particularly in choral music, opera, and musical theatre. He is dedicated to ensuring that talented, disciplined, and committed individuals have access to advanced music studies.

In 2010, he founded The Aloud Charity, which runs Only Boys Aloud and Only Kids Aloud, revitalizing the Welsh male choir tradition and aiding children from deprived communities. He also created Only Men Aloud, a Welsh male vocal ensemble, achieving numerous accolades including winning BBC's Last Choir Standing.

Tim's honors include ordination to the Gorsedd of Bards (2010), an MBE (2013), an Honorary Doctor of Music (2017), and an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (2019).

Repertoire: We’re still finalising the programme, but you can expect a vibrant mix of music—from brand-new pieces to choral favourites and plenty of surprises in between!

How to apply…

Apply by:

12 October 2025

Auditions:

16 November 2025 - 7 December 2025

Video deadline: 30th November 2025

Results:

*15 December

Auditions:

16th November – North Wales

19th November (PM) – Cardiff

23rd November – Carmarthen

25th November (PM) – Cardiff

4th December (PM) – Cardiff

6th December – Cardiff

7th December – Cardiff 

Rehearsals:

Thursday 26th February (Online)

Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd April 

Thursday 20thAugust – Sunday 30thAugust (Carmarthen)

Performances:

TBC.

*Week commencing.

  • Cost: £925

    Your membership fee includes all tuition costs, accommodation, food and board, travel within the residency and social activities. 

    Thanks to the generous support from our funders and supporters, National Youth Arts Wales subsidises a significant part of the costs of being a member of one of the national youth ensembles.

    However, we aim to make sure that money is never a barrier to participation in any of our ensembles or projects. We understand that for some applicants this contribution may be out of reach, which is why we run a generous bursary scheme that supports where support is needed. 

    If you have an annual household income of less than £125,000, Our Bursary Fund could help to cover some, or all you’re your membership fee. 

    We also offer an instalment payment plan.

    Visit NYAW BURSARY FUND for full information.

  • Applications are accepted from singers who have a keen interest in singing and participate regularly with a choir at a high level. You should be aged between 16 and 22, on 31 August 2026. (This means that you may be able to audition aged 15, as long as you will be 16 by this date). We may take younger participants into the ensembles on occasions where extraordinary talent is shown. This will be solely at the discretion of NYAW. You must either have been born in Wales and/or currently living in Wales, or studying full-time in Wales.

    NYAW reserves the right to exclude anyone from taking part in its ensembles at its reasonable discretion, to be exercised by senior staff or trustees.

    For any questions about our eligibility criteria, please email us at: nyaw@nyaw.org.uk.