The Grand Final of the BBC Young Musician 2026 competition, featuring three young instrumentalists performing full concertos with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Alpesh Chauhan.
BBC Young Musician returns to Beacon Hall on Thursday 15 October, with the Grand Final starting at 19:00. It's the end of a long road for the three young instrumentalists who've made it this far: each will perform a full concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Alpesh Chauhan. The winner is named BBC Young Musician 2026.
If you've followed the competition, you'll know it's a biennial thing that's been running for five decades, celebrating young UK talent. It's a bit of a springboard, too — cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, saxophonist Jess Gillam, pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and violinist Nicola Benedetti all came through it. This edition started with more than 260 entries, so these three are the last ones standing.
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The evening is presented by broadcaster and writer Petroc Trelawny. The jury includes Joanna MacGregor and Ben Gernon, with a special surprise judge joining them to help decide who takes the title. The venue advises that the performance is suitable for all ages, with under-16s accompanied by an adult. It starts at 19:00 at Beacon Hall.
