NYCOS 30th Anniversary: Carmina Burana

In 2026, the National Youth Choir of Scotland celebrates its 30th anniversary by returning to one of the most iconic choral works ever written: Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. This thrilling cantata, composed in 1935–36, sets 24 medieval poems from the Carmina Burana manuscript — bold, earthy and timeless texts exploring fate, springtime, love, celebration and the unpredictability of life. Orff’s music is instantly recognisable for its driving rhythms, powerful choral lines and vivid orchestral colour, framed by the world‑famous opening and closing movement, O Fortuna.

Carmina Burana has become a cornerstone of the choral repertoire and continues to captivate audiences worldwide with its raw energy and dramatic sweep.

The programme will also include the world premiere of The World by Jay Capperauld, with text by Robert Louis Stevenson, and The Passing of the Year by Jonathan Dove. One hundred and ten of Scotland’s finest young singers will be accompanied by two pianos and percussion, conducted by Christopher Bell, NYCOS Founder and Artistic Director.

A landmark in NYCOS history

Thirty years ago, NYCOS began its journey with a performance of Carmina Burana in this version for two pianos and percussion. It was an ambitious undertaking for a fledgling choir of just 62 singers, divided into double choir and with scarcely any tenors — “a miracle it happened at all,” as those involved recall. That performance set the tone for the ambition and musical excellence that would define the next three decades of NYCOS’s work.

About the National Youth Choir of Scotland

The National Youth Choir of Scotland is an outstanding choir for young people aged 16 to 25, directed by world‑renowned conductor Christopher Bell. Recognised with the Ensemble Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society, membership is granted by annual audition to singers born, resident or studying in Scotland.

During Scotland’s Year of Young People in 2018, the choir held a residency at the Edinburgh International Festival, receiving a Herald Angel Award for its performance of Haydn’s The Creation, followed by a sold‑out a cappella concert in the Usher Hall. In both 2024 and 2025, NYCOS opened the Edinburgh International Festival to great acclaim, described as “astonishing” and “heroic”.

NYCOS has toured internationally to the USA, Sweden, Ireland, Germany and Hungary; performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Philharmonie de Paris; and appeared with major orchestras and festivals across Scotland and beyond.

Join us as we celebrate 30 years of exceptional youth choral singing with this exhilarating and unforgettable work.