Auditions

Pre-Screening Applications will be launched on Monday, July 27th!

Please sign up for our Audition Interest List and follow us on social media for additional updates!

About YNYC

Currently in its 26th (Mixed) & 15th (Treble) seasons, the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus (YNYC) fosters a vibrant choral community through singing, performance, and collaboration with emerging composers. We work to ensure that New Yorkers have a haven that brings music to those who need it, and amplifies the voices of those who wish to make it. Guided by the artistic vision of conductor Alex Canovas, the choir performs works with themes and sounds that resonate with young people, in venues including Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Symphony Space, The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn Fire Proof, Chicago Symphony Center, and many of the finest churches in New York City. YNYC has been featured in the film "Catechism Cataclysm," on WNYC’s RadioLab, the New York Public Library’s Library After Hours Program, the World Fashion Parade, TBS' hit show "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," and as a featured performer for iHeartRadio. Committed to the growth of new repertoire, YNYC debuts a minimum of three original works annually through its Competition for Young Composers, as well as works by prominent living composers.

The Mixed Ensemble rehearses on Tuesday evenings, and the Treble Ensemble on Wednesday evenings, both from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. YNYC operates from September through early June, with summer events to keep our spirit of community going.

In recent years, the Treble Ensemble appeared at the Ensemble Showcase for the Connecticut American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Fall Conference, and the Mixed Ensemble performed at the ACDA Eastern Region Conference in February/March 2024. In recognition of its work, YNYC was named the winner of The American Prize in Choral Performance - Community Division in 2023, and second place in The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music - Community Division in 2024. Members of YNYC have also had the pleasure of taking part in a wide variety of creative choral projects, including commercials, appearances at prestigious venues, and appearing on GRAMMY-nominated albums.

All prospective auditionees are required to submit a Pre-Screening Form to kick off the audition process, which includes questions about your choral experience.

All auditionees must submit a short recording of them singing something — it doesn’t need to be a choral/classical piece, but we encourage you to keep in mind that we sing contemporary concert choral music!

The Audition Process

Pre-Screening Round

Live Audition

A small number of applicants will be invited to our live round of auditions. These auditions consist of singing 30-60 seconds of a solo piece, singing a part of a prepared piece which will be sent 4-5 days before the audition, musicianship and aural skills exercises, and sight-reading.

Audition FAQ

What kind of piece should I prepare for the pre-screening process?

Pick something you love to sing, something that shows your voice off at its best. It doesn’t need to be a more traditional piece, like an art song, but it certainly can be. Keep in mind, though, that YNYC performs concert contemporary choral music, and we’re looking for singers with fantastic voices who can fit into the sound of both of our ensembles.

I won’t be in town for the live audition dates. If I’m invited to audition live, can I do a virtual audition?

Unfortunately, due to the extremely limited number of available spots and what we need to hear in auditions, we do not offer virtual auditions. We encourage you to keep an eye out for more information about future audition cycles.

I don’t have a ton of experience with choral music, but I love to sing! Would I be a good fit for YNYC?

YNYC specializes in the performance of new music, and as such experience with choral music, or a cappella music that involves learning from sheet music, is extremely important to us. Especially if you aren’t able to read music, you wouldn’t have a great experience in YNYC. We’d be happy to share the names of other choirs in New York City that may be a better fit.

I travel a lot for work — how many rehearsals can I miss if I’m invited to join YNYC?

One of the things that makes YNYC special is the cohesive ensemble sound we build, which requires you to be at rehearsal in person! We allow members to miss up to three rehearsals per concert cycle. We allow very few exceptions, except in the case of true emergencies.