Alongside our general online auditions for National Youth Choir (9-18 Years), this autumn young singers who have previously taken part in SING! programme activity in the North East this year will be able to join us for a free 'workshop' audition. These are workshop days where singers and their families all get a National Youth Choir warm-up together and then hear a bit about the Choir and how it works. Once families have left, participants take part in musical sessions with our vocal leaders, including learning a new song they could use in an audition. As the session continues after a break, singers are invited to sing individually for the panel before returning back to their friends in the main group. At the end of the day, families return and we share together a little of what the singers have learnt. 

After a successful pilot of this initiative in 2022 we are offering workshop auditions sessions in a wider range of areas this year. As part of the SING! programme in the North East, participants can sign up for the workshop with our friendly team at Newcastle University on 14 October and choose to audition. The young singers in Years 7 to 10 will also be supported by volunteers from National Youth Choir (18-25 Years) for the first time this year. We’re really proud that our members can get involved in workshops in this way and we know they’ll bring a brilliant vibrancy and approachability to this event!

Aside from our day in Newcastle, we’ll also be hosting workshop auditions for the first time in Huddersfield in partnership with the Diocese of Leeds on 15 October. We are delighted to be working with the Diocese of Leeds Music programme for this event who have been very supportive partners, and we are looking forward to developing our work together in the future. There are also workshop auditions planned this season with partners in Nottinghamshire and the Midlands. We can’t wait to meet all these young singers and their families in a more relaxed environment and, hopefully, to welcome plenty into the choirs for 2024!