BBC Young Musician, the long-running biennial competition that celebrates the UK’s most promising classical musical performers, is now open for entries for the 2024 competition.
Previous winners and alumni include Sheku Kanneh-Mason (2016), saxophonist Jess Gillam (2016), violinist Nicola Benedetti (2004), pianist Benjamin Grosvenor (2004), cellist Laura van der Heijden (2012) and pianist Martin James Bartlett (2014).
The 2022 BBC Young Musician winner was percussionist Jordan Ashman, pictured.
In 2024 the way that performers can audition has changed in order to make the competition easier to enter, increasing accessibility and encouraging sustainability without compromising on musical excellence.
- Entry for musicians aged 18 and under (entrants must be born on or after 1 September 2005) is now made by video submission, with a 10-minute video entry scored and ranked by expert judges
- From the initial entry, up to 50 will be progress to live auditions - two from each of eight geographical areas - with a further 34 musicians selected by the judging panel.
- This year, category finals will be replaced by two quarter finals featuring 12 musicians, and a Semi Final with six places available. These and the live auditions will make up five 90-minute programmes for broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer.
- The Grand Final will be broadcast on BBC Two and iPlayer for the first time since 2012 as a special programme with highlights of the concerto performances, whilst the full concert programme will air on BBC Four and iPlayer as well as on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds.
Suzy Klein, Head of BBC Arts and Classical Music TV said: 'I am delighted to have BBC Young Musician making a welcome return to BBC Two next year. Since 1978 Young Musician has offered a platform to the brightest and best of this country’s young classical performers.
'This year we’ve changed how easy it is for people to enter making it the most accessible, sustainable and democratic competition we’ve staged so far. Shining a light on different geographical regions allows us to showcase the best young classical talent from across the UK and I can’t wait to see the results.'
The closing date for applicants is 12 January 2024, with digital auditions judging taking place in January and February and live auditions in April 2024. The quarter finals and Semi Final will be held in July, with the Grand Final taking place in October 2024.
More detail for entrants can be found at bbc.co.uk/youngmusician