Become a Friend of Bedfordshire Youth Opera
For over 40 years Bedfordshire Youth Opera has provided invaluable mentoring, coaching and performance experience to young singers and musicians aged 14-26; we would love to see it flourish for 40 years more!
With an annual donation of £100, you can become a Friend of BYO and help ensure we can continue to support and inspire young singers with our annual fully-staged productions.
Friends will receive:
- a complimentary ticket for the next year’s production
- an invitation for you and a guest to meet members of the cast and creative team on Friday’s ‘friends’ night’ performance
- a copy of our digital newsletter
- Friends will also be named in our programme
To become a Friend, email us at opera@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk
As a Friend, your donation will allow us to:
- Continue to produce an annual fully staged production
- Provide high-quality coaching from industry professionals
- Introduce young people to the world of opera and classical music
- Offer backstage, photography and marketing work experience to young people
- Maintain and expand our collection of handmade costumes and props
- Provide a family of supportive peers and friends to young singers
Bedfordshire Youth Opera (BYO) provides one of very few opportunities in the UK for young people aged 14-26 to take part in performing fully staged opera. It is managed by the Bedfordshire Music Trust which receives no direct central government funding. Productions involve 30-40 singers and orchestral players, a small team of professionals and a large team of volunteers. Past performances have included The Magic Flute, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, The Pirates of Penzance, Candide and The Tales of Hoffman.
BYO has been instrumental in launching the careers of professional musicians and internationally acclaimed artists including Rachel Nicholls, Carolyn Sampson, Kitty Whately, Simon Bailey, Rebecca Bottone, Tyler Clark, Donna Lennard and Andrea Tweedale. We are always indebted to those who generously give their time to come back to coach the present students. This project provides an excellent platform for young people to develop new skills and an appreciation of music and opera that will be especially important for those planning to further their careers in the arts.
For more information, email us at opera@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk
“What voices, what incredible stage presence and what attention to detail. The focus, clarity and sense of self BYO instils […] will be present in everything and anything they choose to do.” – Roderick Williams OBE
“BYO creates lifelong joyous memories, whatever your career trajectory. It helped me start finding myself, it helped me express myself and it taught me valuable career lessons.” – Rebecca Bottone, soprano and BYO alum
