The BBC New Generation Artists for the 2023-25 intake have been announced, with the line-up including singers, pianists and chamber musicians.
The artists are: British baritone James Atkinson, Kazakh pianist Alim Beisembayev, Georgian pianist Giorgi Gigashvili, Republic of Ireland mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan (pictured), Swedish soprano Johanna Wallroth, and the Chaos Quartet – whose members are from across Europe. Also part of the new intake is British pianist Michael Pandya – the second collaborative pianist welcomed on the scheme in its history, after Kunal Lahiry in 2021..
They join the New Generation artists who have been on the scheme since 2022, and remain on it until December 2024: Colombian cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia, British accordionist Ryan Corbett, British countertenor Hugh Cutting, US violinist Geneva Lewis, British jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie, South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, and the Leonkoro Quartet from Germany.
Launched in 1999, the New Generation Artists scheme supports young musicians at the beginning of their international careers with performance opportunities in London and around the UK. These include solo recitals, performances with the BBC orchestras, and appearances at the BBC Proms, Cheltenham Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Ulster Hall, and Snape Maltings among many other venues. Through broadcasts on Radio 3 these rising stars are heard by listeners all over the UK, and across Europe through the European Broadcasting Union.
The scheme has previously helped launch the careers of leading artists such as soprano Fatma Said, pianist Beatrice Rana, guitarist Sean Shibe, clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson and violinist Alina Ibragimova.
Sam Jackson, Controller BBC Radio 3 says: 'Supporting the development of outstanding young artists as they take the first steps in their career is an absolute privilege for Radio 3: we witness the growth of these performers as they appear on prestigious stages across the country and beyond, and are listened to by millions on our airwaves. I am sure our audience will share in the excitement as we announce the seven New Generation Artists joining the scheme this year - and I really look forward to seeing how they evolve, push boundaries, and create extraordinary performances for us all to enjoy.'
Upcoming BBC Radio 3 broadcasts celebrating the New Generation Artists past and present include: Radio 3 in Concert from the 2023 Norfolk and Norwich Festival, featuring Geneva Lewis, Ryan Corbett, the Leonkoro Quartet and Fergus McCreadie (Tuesday 6 June, 19:30 – 22:00); a Saturday Summer Showcase series of 8 programmes introduced by Hannah French and featuring studio recordings by the New Generation Artists (Saturday 15 July – Saturday 2 September, 11:45am to 12:00noon); and a Lunchtime Concert series of 9 recitals introduced by Sara Mohr-Pietsch and featuring performances recorded at concerts and festivals across the UK (Monday 17 July – Monday 4 September & Sunday 20 August, 13:00 - 14:00).
Find out more about previous musicians featured in the BBC New Generation Artists scheme here.
