BBC Radio Scotland has enhanced its annual commitment to promoting and nurturing Scotland’s young musical talent by unveiling the Young Classical Musician of the Year competition, in partnership with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Broadcaster and musician Jamie MacDougall announced the opening of the competition for entries during his Classical Now show on Sunday, 5th November.
Speaking about the announcement, he expressed, “I’m thrilled to be hosting this new competition for BBC Radio Scotland. It will offer a fantastic platform for young classical musicians to display their skills and give audiences, as well as the industry, the opportunity to discover the future stars of music.”
Speaking about the announcement he said: “I’m so excited to be hosting this new BBC Radio Scotland competition. It’s going to provide a wonderful opportunity for young classical musicians to showcase their talent and give audiences and the industry the chance to discover musical talent of the future.”
Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, says: “BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician is an exciting new opportunity to showcase some of our brightest young artists, who will be given a platform to share their talents on a national scale. Classical music is a timeless art form that has shaped the cultural landscape for centuries and which still speaks directly to us today. By supporting emerging musicians, we are ensuring that it will continue to thrive and evolve for generations to come. All the very best to the competitors – we’re looking forward to hearing your wonderful performances.”
Gareth Hydes BBC Scotland commissioning editor says: “BBC Radio Scotland is playing a pivotal role in supporting young emerging musical talent through each of our music competitions. With the announcement of the Young Classical Musician, we complete our annual commitment to surfacing and shining a light on young performers and bringing audiences the bright stars of the future. We’re delighted to be working with our partner, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to help us in this search and we look forward to hearing what comes in to us.”
The competition is open from 5th November to 17th December for musicians residing in Scotland, aged between 18 and 24 years old. Applicants must complete the online application form and submit a 10-minute audio recording. The full terms and conditions can be found at bbc.co.uk/youngclassical.
The final will be held at the City Halls next summer (June 2024), where finalists will perform with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in front of a live audience and panel of judges. The evening will also be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, hosted by Jamie MacDougall. The winner will be bestowed with the title BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician of the Year, receive a recording session with BBC Scotland, and feature prominently on Classical Now.
The Young Classical competition complements BBC Radio Scotland’s long-standing and successful Young Traditional Musician of the Year, BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year, and Young Jazz Musician of the Year. These competitions will run throughout the year, providing talent with a launchpad into the music industry.
