Andrew Nunn – NYCNI Artistic Director
As well as Artistic Director of the National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland Andrew is currently Director of Choirs at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Junior Conservatoire where he is a responsible for a choral programme of 300 students age 8-18. He is also a regular conductor with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, most recently he conducted NYCoS in Belgium in three performances broadcast live on BBC1 and BBC2 to mark the centenary of the battle of Passchendaele in July 2017. He is artistic director of Les Sirenes, a female chamber choir that won the 2012 BBC Choir of the Year Competition, and is also musical director of the 130 strong Bearsden Choir in Glasgow.
Alison McNeill – NYCNI Junior Choir Conductor
Scottish Conductor, Soprano and Fiddle player Alison McNeill graduated with a Masters in Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and went on to study in Spain with legendary mezzo soprano Teresa Berganza performing as a soloist in the National Auditorium of Galicia, Ateneo (Madrid), the De Falla Auditorium (Granada) and in the foundations of composers Lorca, Manuel de Falla and Rodrigo with scholarships from the RCS Trust and ABRSM.
In a busy and varied career she has performed as a soloist all over the UK, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Japan, Pakistan, Kenya, USA and Mexico. Alison’s career highlights include singing as soprano soloist for Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the Royal Concert Hall, winning the Andres Segovia prize for Spanish Song in Spain (the only non-native speaker to win this award), headlining International Festivals with folk rock band Reely Jiggered (www.reelyjiggered.co.uk) and broadcasts on BBC Introducing at Celtic Connections, BBC Radio nan Gael, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 4, Pakistani and Mexican National TV.
Alison is highly respected as a choral conductor with the Herald describing her conducting style as “succinct… commanding undivided attention.” She has extensive experience in working with choirs at the highest level, creating exciting and engaging cross art form experiences for singers and audiences alike. Alison is Director of the NYCNI’s 100 strong Junior Choir and new Boys Choir, Director of NYCOS National Boys Choir and Training Choir, founding Director of Voices of Argyll which provides opportunities for singers in rural areas using the Argyll landscape as its concert hall and commissioning cultural fusion works celebrating Scotland’s diversity. Alison is Associate Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Youth Choruses who regularly perform with the RSNO Orchestra, BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall and Edinburgh International Festival. www.alisonmcneill.com.