Our Story

BYC is a remarkable organisation that was established in 2009 by Mat Wright and Keith Norton. It is a registered charity run by volunteers that seeks to provide outstanding opportunities for young people who live in Barnsley and has developed a reputation for excellence. The choir is ranked 5th in the World Rankings in its category and has won 8 first prizes in some of the biggest international competitions in the world. Barnsley Youth Choir was presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (MBE) in January 2018. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK and this was in recognition to the outstanding support and dedication shown by the volunteers.

BYC is first and foremost a community choir serving an area of deprivation where 1 in 4 children live in poverty. The choir is highly inclusive and our 6 sections consists of over 400 singers. The choir contains BYC Junior Choir (4-7 years), BYC Children’s Central (7-12 years), BYC Children’s Choir East (7-12 years), BYC Children’s Choir West (7-12 years), BYC Intermediate Choir (10-16 years) and BYC Senior Choir (14-24 years). The choir has released 2 albums, performed on TV and Radio and has raised significant amounts of money for local charities including £10,000 for Barnsley Hospice after releasing a charity single.

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The choir also has a newly formed Alumni section and close links with sister organisations Little Singers (0-4 years) founded by Eleanor Wright and Barnsley Singers (24 years+) founded by Mat Wright and Luke Mather. BYC is not publicly funded and relies on the support of the local and wider community to operate and maintain viability.

The use of the Kodaly system, through a close association with choirs from the Kodaly School in Kecskemet and Laszlo Duranyik, has been significant in developing young people with little prior experience or formal training. The choir has had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s finest conductors and choirs in this country and abroad, and has appeared in outstanding international venues. The choir is unusual in that it maintains a wide and diverse repertoire including Popular, Gospel, Spiritual, Folk and more Classical genres, and audiences appreciate the variety of music performed in concerts.

The choir has developed close associations with the Aurin and Miraculum Choirs from Hungary, Tuks Camerata from South Africa and choirs from the Adolf Fredriks School in Sweden. It has also performed with outstanding choirs from this country including Farnham Youth Choir and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain Fellowship. It has worked with soloists such as Lesley Garrett OBE, international folk star Kate Rusby and Paul Phoenix (Kings Singers) and has been conducted by and received training from some of the world’s best choral leaders including Dr. Michael Barrett (RSA), Laszlo Duranyik (HUN), Tony Margeta (SWE), Romans Vanags (LAT), Thomas Caplin (NOR), Johan Rooze (NED), Fred Sjoberg (SWE), Prof. Ralf Eisenbeiss (GER), David Slater (AUS), Joanna Tomlinson (GB), Dr. Amy Bebbington (GB) and Steven Roberts (GB).

BYC prides itself on providing exceptional experiences for young people and engenders a sense of aspiration. Being a member helps young people to develop skills and qualities that will support them throughout their lives. We seek to inspire and change lives through music and provide life changing opportunities for those involved.