The Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus (BSYC) celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007. It started life as the Dorset Youth Choir and came under the auspices of the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus (BSC) in 2006. The current Musical Director is Elizabeth Nayler, who is a well-known local music teacher and a founding member of the Dorset Youth Choir and its Musical Director until 2006. She took a break of  three years and returned in the 2009/10 season.

The BSYC is one of a handful of youth choruses in the country that are associated with a professional orchestra, which provides an exciting and rare opportunity for young people to sing with a full symphony orchestra. Occasionally this leads to other projects, for example, undertaking CD recordings for commercial labels such as Naxos and Nimbus.  In addition to these joint projects with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), the chorus undertakes a number of other performances both in association with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and alone. In 2010/11 season for example, the BSYC was invited to take part in the opening of the Anne Frank and You exhibition in Bournemouth in May 2011, and to sing a specially written song.

In the 2010-2011 season, the BSYC took part in the mini BSO's recording project; led the children's parts of Carmina Burana at the Big Sing at the Lighthouse Poole in September; the Chamber Choir section of the BSYC joined the BSC and BSO at the naming of Cunard's new Queen Elizabeth liner at Southampton Docks, in the presence of H.M. the Queen while the whole choir joined the BSO and BSC for a carol concert at the Lighthouse Poole in December. They took a major part in Britten's cantata St Nicolas at Wimborne Minster in March and towards the end of the season held two extremely successful fundraising concerts: one in aid of Chernobyl Children's Lifeline at St.Paul's Church Canford Heath and the other for the BSC centenary appeal at Winton Methodist Church.

In the 2011-12 season the Youth choir will once again be joining the BSO and BSC for carols at the Lighthouse Poole in December. The season starts early, with 2 performances in September of a new work by Richard Blackford, Not in Our Time, especially commissioned by the BSC as part of their centenary celebrations. They will also take part in a recording of this work to be released on Nimbus records in November 2011. In March, the BSYC have been invited to take part in the David Fanshawe Memorial Concert at the Royal Festival Hall. April sees the BSYC providing the children's parts in a performance of Carmina Burana in Poole and Bristol. As part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, BSYC will be involved in performing in Chalk Legends, a large scale community music event led by the BSO, also incorporating contributions from BSC, Dorset Youth Orchestra, Voiceworks and Dance South West. The work has been specially composed by Stephen McNeff.

The BSYC currently rehearses on a Tuesday evening from 6 to 8pm at the Lighthouse Poole, on the same night as the BS adult chorus with whom it often performs. Singers are sometimes required for rehearsal on other nights and on occasion at weekends for concerts and rehearsals with other conductors.

There is an annual subscription charge, set at £60 in 2011-12 season, to help with administration and music costs, with reductions for those who join in the spring and summer terms. Help with subscriptions is available in cases of need and will be treated confidentially.

We recruit singers from 9 to 18 years. It is not necessary to be able to read music but a good musical ear and enthusiasm for singing are important. Before prospective members decide to join, we invite them to take part in a rehearsal, during which the Musical Director will listen to their voices. This is not scary!

For more information about joining, go to www.bschorus.co.uk/bsycjoin.aspx. Please contact Sue Gosling as per the joining page and also download an audition form to fill in and bring with you when you come to your first rehearsal or audition.