Lathallan schoolgirl Julietta is heading for the big time

Julietta is now a member of the prestigious choir

After a successful audition, Julietta will join the members of the choir in the Spring for a residential course where time is split between high-quality vocal coaching, musicianship training and full choir rehearsals with highly qualified staff who are experts in their fields.

Talking about the opportunity, 14-year-old Julietta said: “In my singing experience, this has definitely been the biggest opportunity I have had so far and I am very grateful.

I’ve been singing my whole life but I would say that it started to get more serious in 2014. I auditioned for the NYCOS Girls Choir of Scotland which is so much bigger than the NYCOS Angus Choir that I’ve been singing in. I didn’t get in the first time but I’m delighted to have been successful this time round. I owe a huge thank you to my family, friends and Lathallan for pushing me singing to the best it can be”.

“Lathallan has really helped me on this journey. In 2020, I was in my first School Show which was the Lion King and I had the part of Nala. I was quite shy and not very confident, but I was able to get up on stage and sing in front of people. Confidence is one of our school values. The song Shadowland was one of the first solos I ever performed, and it was wonderful”.

Mr Hossick, Head of Music at Lathallan School said: “Joining the NYCOS Girls' Choir is a fantastic opportunity for Julietta to continue her vocal journey with one of the best choirs in the UK. We are all delighted for her and can't wait to hear her perform”.

Julietta added: “The audition process for NYCOS was challenging. I had to make sure the pronunciation of the song was correct and that it sounded clear. My breathing was the tricky part. Due to COVID, lots of singers weren’t allowed to sing together and that impacted my breathing because I wasn’t able to practice to the same extent. But when I went into the audition room, the only thing that mattered was confidence. I kept my confidence from the start and this made me perform well which I was really proud of”.

“To me this feels like a dream because it’s an amazing opportunity and a huge step for me in singing. I’m looking forward to travelling to Edinburgh to sing with the choir, meeting new people and growing in my vocal abilities”.

Christopher Bell, NYCOS Artistic Director and Conductor of NYCOS National Girls Choir, said: “We are delighted to welcome Juliletta to NYCOS National Girls Choir 2022. She has a lovely voice with lots of potential and we look forward to helping her develop her singing and choir skills further”.

NYCOS National Girls Choir was established in 2007 for singers aged 12-17 who can cope with the increased musical and vocal demands of a national choir.

Lathallan School offer S1 and S5 Scholarships on an annual basis, including a Music Scholarship. As well as the prestige of being a Lathallan Scholar, successful applicants also benefit from a fee remission, of up to 25%. S5 Scholarship applications are open until the 18th March 2022. A Scholarship is a recognition of excellence and potential in candidates from any background, and therefore can be held along with a bursary (means-tested fee assistance).