Mark Burstow has been Director of the Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus since January 2024.
The chorus began life as the Dorset Youth Choir in 1997 and took its present name in 2006, when it came under the management of the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus. It is one of only a handful of youth choruses in the country associated with a professional orchestra, which means that young singers have the chance to perform with a full symphony orchestra, something few of them would otherwise experience.
There are two groups: the Bournemouth Symphony Children’s Choir for younger singers, and the Youth Chorus itself for older ones.
Over the years the chorus has sung in many of the great works which call for young voices, among them Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Britten’s War Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. It has given the premieres of Richard Blackford’s Voices of Exile, Not in our Time and Pietà, which it also recorded and took to Cadogan Hall in London. It has sung Monteverdi’s Vespers with Armonico, James MacMillan’s Little Mass with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and takes part every year in the BSO’s Family Carol Concert.
More recently it has sung Super Sized Polyphony with the Armonico Consort at the Lighthouse, Poole, and in Salisbury Cathedral.
Forthcoming
Saturday 5 December 2026 – Wimborne Minster – Carol Concert – 19h30
Wednesday 23 December 2026 – The Lighthouse, Poole – BSO Christmas Carols with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, conducted by Gavin Carr – 19h00. Tickets from the Lighthouse or the BSO.
Saturday 30 January 2027 – S. Stephen’s Church, Bournemouth – Choral Marathon – 10h30
Thursday 4 March 2027 – The Lighthouse, Poole – Dido and Aeneas with the Gabrieli Consort (Gabrieli Roar)
Joining
The Children’s Choir is for singers aged 8 to 13 and the Youth Chorus for those aged 14 to 18. Both rehearse on Tuesday evenings at the Lighthouse, Poole: the Children’s Choir from 6.00 to 7.15pm and the Youth Chorus from 6.45 to 8.00pm. Under-16s should come with a parent or guardian.
New members are very welcome to come along and try it. There is a short, informal audition, usually within the first three weeks. It is not a test to be passed so much as a chance for Mark to make sure that each singer will settle in and develop a good, healthy voice.
To join, or for further details, email bsyc@bschorus.co.uk with the singer’s name, age and contact details, or visit the Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus page on the Symphony Chorus website.
