Excellence through Group Singing: Recruitment

Youth Music Voices took a three-stage approach to the national recruitment process for young singers. Approximately 2,000 young people took part in one of each of the recruitment events.

The initial launch events were designed to attract young people to the project, to provide a day of high quality singing activity and to signpost young people to local singing opportunities.

The next phase of selection events saw the young singers enjoy a second full day of singing activities with vocal leaders making an assessment of each young person as they took part in the activities.

“The selection criteria at this stage of the process was defined as (i) an ability to sing with good intonation and sense of rhythm, (ii) an understanding of interpretation, vocal colour, dynamics and phrasing, (iii) articulation and understanding of lyrics, (iv) the ability to work as one of a team, (v) an openness towards different genres, demonstrated through enthusiasm, curiosity and respect, and (vi) the ability to concentrate and act professionally.”

Following the selection events, the next stage was by invitation only. Young people were observed learning and singing in a group, then interviewed and finally formally solo auditioned.

Approaching recruitment as openly as possible and carrying out selection of young people at a late stage in recruitment (if it is required at all) will allow the project to embrace achieving excellence whilst being open access.