The competition was established in 1978 by Humphrey Burton, Walter Todds and Roy Tipping, former members of the BBC Television Music Department.[1]Michael Hext, a trombonist, was the inaugural winner. In 1994, the percussion category was added, alongside the existing keyboard, string, brass and woodwind categories.[1] The competition has five stages: regional auditions, category auditions, category finals, semi-finals and the final.[3] The biennial competition is managed and produced by BBC Cymru Wales.
To date, there have been 22 winners, the youngest being 12-year-old Peter Moore.[4] In 2014, the BBC Young Musician Jazz Award was introduced;[5]Alexander Bone, a saxophonist, was the inaugural winner.[6]
The competition celebrated its 30th anniversary in May 2008 with a documentary narrated by Gethin Jones on BBC Two.[7] BBC Four's documentary BBC Young Musician: Forty Years Young was aired on 3 April 2018. To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the first BBC Young Musician Prom was held at the Royal Albert Hall and broadcast live on 15 July 2018. Presented by Clemency Burton-Hill, the concert featured performances from past winners and finalists alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Andrew Gourlay.[8]
The 2020 competition was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, after proceeding as normal up to and including the filming of the semi-final. The five category finals were broadcast in May and June 2020, with broadcast of the semi-final and recording of the final postponed, at first until the autumn, and then into 2021. The Jazz Award final was broadcast as planned on 22 November 2020, having been recorded at Cadogan Hall in the absence of an audience.[9] The grand final was recorded in April 2021[10] – also without an audience – and broadcast on 2 May, preceded on 30 April by the delayed broadcast of the semi-final.[11] The 2022 contest was deferred from spring to early autumn and was broadcast in October; the semi-final stage of the competition (introduced in 2010) was discontinued.
Broadcast
Regional heats were televised in 1978; a round before the category final was aired until 1994, and again in 2002 and 2004. From 1978 to 1984, all programmes were broadcast on BBC One until it was moved to BBC Two in 1986; however from 2002 to 2012, the heats were moved to BBC Four, with only the final aired on BBC Two.
In 2010, highlights of the new semi-final stage were also broadcast on BBC Two. In 2014, all stages of the competition moved to BBC Four, and the category finals and the grand final were broadcast on BBC Radio 3. For the 2018 competition, Radio 3 broadcast a 30-minute concert starring each competitor in the week before their category final aired.
Hosts
The following have hosted stages of the competition:[12]
A separate competition for a Jazz Award was first held during the 2014 season, with the final broadcast on BBC Four in the week after the classical final.[6] In 2016, the Jazz Award final was episode 7 of the 8-part BBC Four series, broadcast two days before the classical final.[14] In 2018, the jazz competition had an upper age limit of 21[15] and the final was recorded for BBC Four in November as part of the London Jazz Festival;[16] it was broadcast on 25 November, six months after the main final.[17]
International soloist and principal oboe of the Britten Sinfonia. Founder of the Britten Oboe Quartet and the Haffner Wind Ensemble. Has performed at numerous BBC Proms.[20]
Won second prize at the Luxemburg International Violin Competition. Performed in orchestras in Europe, the United States, South Africa, The Middle East and Zimbabwe.[29]
First percussionist to win the award. Has performed with an array of ensembles including the 4-MALITY Percussion Quartet. Principal Percussionist with the CBSO. Former Head of Percussion at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire[30]
He holds the ABRSM Junior Scholarship to The Royal Academy of Music. Has played in the Chineke! Orchestra, as well as the JRAM Symphony Orchestra, and played chamber music with the Kanneh-Mason Piano Trio and the Ash String Trio.[36]
Played the fiendishly difficult Prokofiev Concerto no.2 and was commended for her 'inherent musical intelligence' and 'exceptional technical ability'. Won first prize at the 15th Ettlingen International Piano Competition in 2016. First Asian winner of the competition.[37][38]
Has played saxophone in the Jazzlines Ensemble, Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra and Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra among others. While studying in sixth form, Xhosa attended courses with the National Youth Jazz Collective and National Youth Wind Orchestra. He performs and teaches regularly around Birmingham.[42][43]
Began guitar lesson at eight years old at the Mid Herts Music Centre, with current aspirations for a career involving music;[46] is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music, London
Huw Morgan
Trumpet
Trumpet Concerto (Tomasi)
Principal trumpet of the National Youth Orchestra, began learning piano and other instruments at five years of age[46]
Studied at Chetham's school for 7 years, and is currently studying at the Guildhall School in London.[46]
2008
The 2008 finals took place at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on 10 and 11 May 2008.[47] In celebration of thirty years of the competition broadcasting, the performances lasted for two days.[48][a]
Began playing percussion at the age of three after his father, a professional drummer bought him a drum set; currently studies at the Chetham's School of Music
Began playing piano at the age of six, and is also a violinist, he has led the National Children's Orchestra of Scotland and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain; currently studying at Wellington School
Currently studying at The Purcell School of Music, the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music and is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Began playing the Harp at the age of ten while also playing the Piano and Violin, currently studies at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music
Started to play the trombone at the age of six. Held the position of Principal Trombone of the National Children's Band of Great Britain; he is the youngest musician in this year's competition
Began playing the piano at seven years of age, and currently Studies at The Purcell School of Music; he has received awards for composing, such as Highly Commended at BBC Proms Composers' Competition 2006
Started playing the Violin at eight after being offered free lessons in her school in Essex; she later became a student at The Purcell School of Music, and was the first violinist in the National Youth Orchestra for 2 years
Began playing the Oboe at the age of ten, and is studying at The Purcell School of Music, but also studies at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music and is Principal Oboe of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain after joining just one year previously
Jun Sasaki
London
Cello
Began playing the Violin at the age of four, but switched to the Cello at five; he currently studies at Yehudi Menuhin School
Began playing the Clarinet at eight years of age; he has since achieved Principal Clarinet of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain after two years of membership
