- The National Youth Choir of Scotland has launched a new youth British Sign Language (BSL) signing choir, believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland, at the Opening Ceremony of the Scottish Parliament on 27 June 2026
- The new NYCOS BSL Youth Choir performed alongside singers from NYCOS Edinburgh Choir in a specially created performance of Sarah Quartel’s The Beat of a Different Drum
- The initiative forms part of NYCOS’s 30th anniversary programme, marking three decades of work to open up singing to all young people across Scotland
The National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCOS) has launched a new BSL Youth Choir in a landmark performance at the Opening Ceremony of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday 27 June 2026, introducing what is believed to be the first ensemble of its kind in Scotland.
The performance formed part of the Opening Ceremony of the new parliamentary session, a nationally significant civic event bringing together political leaders, invited guests and representatives from across Scottish society in the presence of His Majesty King Charles III – who is the Patron of the National Deaf Association.
The ceremony underlined the Scottish Parliament’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion, with BSL playing a central role in proceedings. The NYCOS Edinburgh Choir, conducted by Mark Evans, performed Sarah Quartel’s The Beat of a Different Drum, accompanied by guitar and bodhrán, while the newly formed NYCOS BSL Youth Choir delivered the work in British Sign Language.
The NYCOS BSL Youth Choir – formed of Scottish young people aged 14-18 who use BSL – was led by Paul Whittaker OBE, one of the UK’s leading figures in accessible music-making.
A profoundly deaf musician, inspirational speaker and performer, Whittaker has spent decades pioneering approaches that enable Deaf and hearing musicians to work together at the highest level.
His work has transformed perceptions of how music can be experienced and shared, particularly through the development of integrated signing choirs.
Paul Whittaker said: “It’s so exciting to see the formation of a new NYCOS BSL Youth Choir, and to have our first performance at the Opening of the Scottish Parliament is a huge privilege.
“Having worked with NYCOS for several years, I’m delighted that they want to set up this choir and promote inclusion and the beauty of sign language. I’m pretty certain this is the first such national BSL choir anywhere – hooray!”
The creation of the ensemble builds on NYCOS’s long-standing commitment to inclusion and participation, and reflects a broader ambition to remove barriers to singing for young people across Scotland.
As the organisation celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, the launch of the NYCOS BSL Youth Choir marks one of a number of initiatives designed to broaden access and ensure that choir singing is open to all.
Christopher Bell, Founder and Artistic Director of NYCOS, said: “We were delighted to provide both a singing choir and the first ever BSL Youth Choir to perform at the opening of the Scottish Parliament.
“For over 30 years NYCOS has explored ways to include as many of Scotland’s young people as possible in singing activities. Our open access education work, our publications and our excellent Regional and National Choirs have made NYCOS one of the leading singing groups across Europe.
“A NYCOS BSL Youth Choir shows that once again we are a leading force in youth music.”
