THE National Youth Choir of Scotland is to perform at the Philharmonie de Paris.

On 26 May the choir will perform in Berlioz Lélio alongside Les Siècles and its conductor, François-Xavier Roth.

Eighty-one singers, aged 17 to 25, will travel to Paris to take part in the performance.

Christopher Bell, artistic director of NYCOS, says “Having recently performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the National Youth Choir of Scotland has consistently impressed with its professionalism and ability to produce world-class performances. This invitation from Les Siècles builds on the choir’s growing reputation as a leading force in choral music on the global stage.”

The National Youth Choir of Scotland travelled to New York in October to perform Berlioz Lelio alongside the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and its conductor, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, in Carnegie Hall.

The choir has also taken the performance to Ann Arbor, Edinburgh International Festival, Festival Berlioz and the BBC Proms.

www.nycos.co.uk

THE Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has launched its Youth programme, which will host film screenings, special events, talks and masterclasses for young audiences at this year’s festival.

The 73rd edition of EIFF runs from 19 to 30 June, and the programme will announced on 29 May.

Karen Gillan, the Scottish actress and EIFF honorary patron, said: "I’m delighted to see this year’s exciting programme of events and screenings for young people with today’s launch of EIFF Youth – congratulations to the team at the Festival.”

Taking over the Cornerstone Centre at St John’s Church on Princes St, the EIFF Youth HQ will offer a programme of filmmaking masterclasses, workshops, careers advice sessions and industry panels for 15-25 year-olds.

The programme is co-designed by EIFF’s young programmers and a youth advisory group, who curate screenings of interest to young audiences.

This year will also see free workshops for primary and secondary schools.

The Student Critics programme will also run throughout the festival.

www.edfilmfest.org.uk/studentcritics2019

SCOTLAND’s "largest rural performing arts festival", which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, is opening a programme of 50 events across 34 regional venues from 24 May until 2 June.

The 40th Anniversary programme of Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival will be launched by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary of Culture, Tourism and External Affairs who will attend the Opening Night Civic Reception and public performance of Morna Young’s Lost at Sea at Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries.

New venues for the events programme this year include Moat Brae, The Bridge in Dumfries and Lochans Community Hall in the Rhins of Galloway.

This year’s programme has been curated by new director, Dani Rae.

The director’s picks include stand-up with comedian Lucy Porter – who has just one Scottish date, at Lockerbie Town Hall with her new show ‘Pass it On (Wednesday 29 May) and Electrolyte, a multi-award winning piece of gig-theatre by Wildcard, coming to the Corner House, Annan (Thursday 30 May), Castle Douglas Town Hall (31 May) and Fitba Bar, Stranraer (1 June).

A High Street Take Over – Picnic at the Plainstanes (Saturday 25 May) in Dumfries, has been programmed by the festival’s Young Promoters Group offering free live performances all afternoon, including professional acrobats and a spotlight on local, talented musicians.

Newton Stewart and Moffat will see Martin Carthy and his twice Mercury Prize-nominated daughter, Eliza Carthy on two dates.

www.dgartsfestival.org.uk