Key Dates Expand Key Dates Open Morning Tuesday 24 October 2023 Applications open Wednesday 1 November 2023 Applications close Wednesday 3 January 2024 at 11:59pm Deadline for references Wednesday 10 January First round results Week Commencing Monday 22 January 2024 (sent via email) Second round auditions 17,18 & 19 February 2024 Working Sessions 5 & 6 March 2024 Some singers may be invited to a working session on 5 & 6 March. All applicants should be prepared to attend. These sessions are not indicative of getting a place.
First Round Auditions Expand First Round Audition Applications must be made via the YAP Tracker website which will include a fee of £15. The following will be required: Recordings of two audition pieces, both of which should be opera (not a song or oratorio). Ideally, two languages should be represented, and we advise you to choose contrasting pieces, so as to best demonstrate your vocal, musical, and dramatic skills. Each recording must consist of a single take without editing, and your pianist must be in shot. You are allowed to use multiple camera angles if you wish, providing all the footage comes from the same take. Videos of you singing in opera productions will not be accepted. All videos must have been recorded within the last six months. These videos must be uploaded to YouTube. Please label the videos with the following format: Aria_Opera_Composer. Please do not include your name as part of the video title. On your YAP Tracker application, you will be asked to provide a link to these videos. Two references by industry professionals. The recommendations must be written specifically for the application and uploaded by the referees directly to the YAP Tracker website. References should be written by music or theatre professionals (for example directors, agents, established singers, accompanists, heads of departments), but not your current teacher or any previous teachers. A recent photograph A short application form completed on the YAP Tracker website. A completed Equal Opportunities questionnaire completed on the YAP Tracker website. This information will not be made available to the audition panel, but will help NOS to monitor and be accountable for its equal opportunities and diversity objectives. Results of the first round audition will be sent via email week commencing Monday 22 January 2024. We would like to reassure every applicant that both videos submitted in an application will have been viewed in their entirety at least twice. Watch the short video below for some advice on repertoire from our Head Coach.
Second Round Auditions Expand Second Round Audition Shortlisted candidates will be invited to audition live at the Studio in front of a panel made up of the NOS Artistic Team and representatives from each of our six partner opera companies: English National Opera, Glyndebourne, Opera North, the Royal Opera House, Scottish Opera and Welsh National Opera. The panel will consist of a minimum of nine people. Should you be invited for the Second Round audition period, there will be a further fee of £40, which will cover all aspects of the Second Round audition process. This fee will need to be paid in full in order to confirm your audition place. The following will be required: Four audition pieces, all of which should be opera (not songs or oratorio). At least two languages should be represented, with at least one in English. Additionally, at least one selection should be from a contemporary opera (post-1980). You may, if you wish, bring the same arias that you submitted for your First Round audition. Most of the Second Round audition panel will not have viewed your First Round audition. A short interview following the audition. NOS will provide a highly qualified and experienced accompanist for the Second Round live audition process. You will not be able to bring your own pianist for your live audition or for any warm-up or practice time. This is for the sake of consistency and to serve all applicants to the best of our ability, equally and without prejudice. Music will be sent to accompanists in advance so you don't need to bring any additional music with you. Watch the short video below about what to expect at the live audition. Throughout our audition process, we aim to provide every applicant with the opportunity to present their best performance to the audition panel. Over the past few years, we have offered the option for applicants to audition over Zoom. However, we have encountered technical issues and sound quality problems that have prevented applicants from accurately showcasing their voices to the panel. With this in mind, we will not be offering Zoom auditions for our 2024/25 auditions. We understand that travelling to London for a live audition may not always be feasible for some applicants. If you are unable to attend the live auditions, please email [email protected], and we will be happy to discuss alternative audition options with you. It's important to note that even if you cannot come to London for the main auditions, you may still receive an invitation for a working session if the panel deems it beneficial. Invitations to working sessions are always considered on a case-by-case basis and arranged in discussion with the applicant. We would like to encourage all applicants to attend an in-person audition wherever possible.
Cancellation and rescheduling Expand Cancellation and rescheduling First Round Application There will be no refund of the £15 application fee after a submitted application has been made on YAP Tracker. Second Round Auditions Should you need to cancel your Second Round audition following payment of the £40 fee, you must do so by emailing [email protected] at your earliest convenience. If an audition is cancelled on or before Friday 2 February 2024, NOS will refund £25 of the audition fee to allow for costs incurred through YAP Tracker and administrative time. After Friday 2 February 2024, the audition fee will be non-refundable. If you need to reschedule your audition time, please email [email protected]. If it is possible to accommodate your request, we will do so at no extra cost to you. If it is impossible for us to reschedule your audition, you must either keep your original time or cancel, in which case NOS will be under no obligation to refund your audition fee.
Funding and living in London Expand Funding and living in London Thanks to support from Arts Council England, our six partner companies, various trusts and foundations, and private philanthropy: All training is completely free to YAs YAs will receive a monthly performance stipend (currently £650/month) Additional bursary support is available (currently up to a further £850/month) We have additional funds available for singing lesson and auditions We regret that we are unable to offer financial support for travelling to and from NOS auditions.
Eligibility Expand Eligibility If you do not hold a valid UK passport, you should be aware that the Home Office/UK Border Agency has rigorous conditions that need to be met before the necessary visa will be issued. Without this, you will not be able to come to the National Opera Studio. If you are offered a place on the Global Talent Programme and you do not hold a UK passport or valid visa which extends to the end of your time at the National Opera Studio, then your place will be a conditional offer. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain a visa. Tier 4 Student visas are not valid unless they are converted to graduate or another type of eligible visa. National Opera Studio Young Artist conditional offer-holders are currently eligible to apply for a Tier 1 Global Talent Visa (Exceptional Promise/ Emerging Leader/ Potential Leader). Please note, this is a two stage process. The first stage will require an endorsement from Arts Council England. The second will be the Visa application process. Applying for the visa takes 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK, and 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK. You must be able to demonstrate that you have a ‘developing’ record of work in at least 2 countries, one of which can be your country of residence. Click here for an overview on the Global Talent visa Find out more about the Global Talent visa for music It is vital that all applicants accepted onto our Global Talent Programme have a good command of the English language. We reserve the right to request proof of your proficiency in English and, if necessary, ask you to sit a test.