NYCNI, previously know as Ulster Youth Choir was established in 1999 by Christopher Bell and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Since then the organisation has expanded its activity establishing the Training Choir as well as providing choral workshops province wide and offering training opportunities for schools, teachers and extended vocal training for existing members. NYCNI has performed across Northern Ireland and beyond and has participated in the BBC Proms and Belfast Festival at Queens. The choir has also produced two commercial CDs and recorded for the BBC.
In December 2012 choir members travelled to London to join the Gabrieli Young Singers Scheme for a recording of Britten’s War Requiem alongside the Gabrieli Consort & Players conducted by Paul McCreesh. The recording won the BBC Music Magazine Award 2014 and in 2013 the organisation joined the Irish Youth Choir for a combined concert in Christchurch Cathedral Dublin.
In 2014 & 2015 choir members formed part of BBC Proms Youth Choir performing Britten’s War Requiem with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014 . NYCNI returned to the BBC Proms in 2015 this time alongside the Vienna Philharmonic with concerts in Birmingham, The Royal Albert Hall and the Lucerne Festival Switzerland under the baton on Sir Simon Rattle.
Since 2015 NYCNI has worked in partnership with BBC Radio Ulster producing the School Choir of the Year Competition a in series of programmes for both primary and post primary schools broadcast from across the province.
In 2017 the Junior Choir was formed for singers aged 11-14. This choir is led by Alison McNeill.
More recently in 2019 NYCNI celebrated it’s 20th Anniversary with a concert in the Ulster Hall and tour to Provence France.
