BBC Young Musician returns to screens in September

Classical music competition BBC Young Musician is set to return in autumn for its 2024 edition. The long-running biennial talent contest for young classical musicians will be aired on BBC TV, Radio 3, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

The competition returns with a brand-new format, which involves digital auditions to increase accessibility and encourage sustainability. This year’s contest will also categorise entrants by geographical area rather than instrumental family, in an effort to ‘increase participation from regions that are typically underrepresented at BBC Young Musician’.

Suzy Klein, head of BBC arts and classical music TV, said: ‘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.’

In the first round in January and February, applicants sent in a video of a performance of up to 10 minutes’ duration plus a shorter clip introducing themselves. From the initial digital audition stage, 50 musicians from eight geographical areas made it through to the live auditions in April at the BBC Central Square in Cardiff. Out of these contestants, 12 will win a place at the quarter-finals (which replace previous years’ instrument category finals) and six will make it to the semi-final. Both rounds will take place from 4-6 July at The Great Hall, Swansea University.

In September, three finalists will compete for the title, as they perform a concerto alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for a competition judging panel including trumpeter Alison Balsom, pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench, and multi-instrumentalist and broadcaster Hannah Catherine Jones.

Five programmes on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer will broadcast live auditions, the quarter- and semi-finals, while BBC Four airs the grand final. The highlights of the quarter and semi-final will be featured by BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds on Classical Live and the grand final highlights will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, with an introduction from saxophonist and broadcaster Jess Gillam.