The National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCOS) has announced that one of its former youth singers, Glaswegian Kenneth Boyd, is to become its new Chief Executive. Boyd, who started touring with NYCOS at the age of 17 in 2003, is currently Senior Producer with the national singing network, and will step into its Chief Executive role on April 21.
He takes over at a significant juncture for the music-making charity, which recently secured further Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland. The 2025 National Boys and Girls Choirs are set to convene later this month, with 200 members taking part in intensive residential courses led by Artistic Director Christopher Bell before debut concerts in Linlithgow and Edinburgh. Meanwhile more than 1,100 young NYCOS singers are rehearsing in weekly sessions up and down the country, preparing for a series of fifteen summer recitals which will all showcase the progress they’ve made during a busy year of training.
Regular performances are a key part of NYCOS’ winning formula: many of its members started singing in local community venues at age seven and have ended up performing to great acclaim on world famous stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris and the Royal Albert Hall. This year is no exception: the 107-strong National Youth Choir of Scotland, made up of Scotland’s most talented young vocalists, will once again open the Edinburgh International Festival in August, featuring alongside the Monteverdi Choir and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus in an eight hour performance of John Tavener’s Veil of the Temple. In a test of their endurance, sopranos and altos from the same choir will also perform Holst’s The Planets at the Usher Hall three days later, under the baton of London Philharmonic Orchestra principal conductor Edward Gardner.
NYCOS Founder and Artistic Director Christopher Bell commented:
“NYCOS is always busy, which is why we are fortunate to have someone of Kenneth’s calibre at the helm. This truly is a watershed appointment – a few decades in the making, but well worth the wait. Kenneth has been a NYCOS performer, a NYCOS producer and a proud NYCOS parent; having excelled on stage and back stage we are delighted he has agreed to join our leadership team front of house. Following his stints at Scottish Opera and with the Scottish Ensemble he is as popular in the sector as he is amongst our young people: his network, practical experience and ambition will all be vital as we start the countdown to our thirtieth anniversary year.”
New NYCOS Chair James Inglis, who was appointed to lead the Board in January 2025, added:
“Whether it’s singing in fluent Hungarian or performing an entire song cycle using just five notes, NYCOS’ reputation begins and ends with the outstanding commitment of its singers and their families, as well as the efforts of our dedicated team. Kenneth’s plans for the future of our organisation will continue what we do brilliantly and build our capabilities further: targeting our activity where it can make the most positive difference. Most importantly, he knows that voices are always better when blended together; he’s a wonderful collaborator who will get the best out of his colleagues and our young choir members. On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I congratulate him for his exceptional efforts to date, and we give him our full backing for the campaigns ahead.”
Kenneth Boyd commented:
“As a young tenor I toured with NYCOS to Chicago and Hungary, both fantastic, life-changing experiences. At the time I thought this is as good as it gets: but that’s the thing about the NYCOS network – it gives you rungs and helps you climb. I’m passionate about giving as many Scottish children as possible access to exceptional musical experiences, and look forward to working with our brilliant team to stretch our network wider and deeper in the years ahead. We’re proud of our track record of nurturing Scottish talent, but we take nothing for granted and will keep working hard to protect and develop our national choral scene. We couldn’t do what we do without Creative Scotland and our many philanthropic partners – not to mention the now many generations of past singers, who continue to support us as colleagues, audience members and Friends. It’s a wonderful organisation to call home, I can’t wait to welcome more singers through the door.”