BBC Young Composer

A biennial competition for 12 to 18 year olds across the UK who create their own original music. Winners participate in a tailored development programme working with a mentor composer on a project with members of the BBC Concert Orchestra, culminating in a performance or broadcast opportunity. Previous mentors include Gavin Higgins, Rhian Samuel, Martin Suckling, Dobrinka Tabakova and Errollyn Wallen.

Each year entries are judged by a panel of leading composers and music industry professionals who are passionate about finding and developing young talent. We are delighted to announce that our 2023 Competition judges are Lloyd Coleman, Shiva Feshareki, Abimaro Gunnell, Gavin Higgins, Cassie Kinoshi, Eímear Noone, David Pickard and Katie Tearle.

Congratulations to everyone who entered this year's BBC Young Composer competition 2023. Here are our 2023 Winners and Highly Commended entrants:

WINNERS:

Lower Junior Category:
Atharv Gupta
Avram Harris

Upper Junior Category:
Advaith Jagannath
Pascal Bachmann

Senior Category:
Jamie Smith
Reese Carly Manglicmot

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

Lower Junior category:
Easher Austin
Natalie Denley
Oliver Horn

Upper Junior category:
Edward Harris-Brown
Jamaal Kashim
Taro d'Aronville

Senior category:
Finty Woolf
Harry Baines
Nina Martin

BBC Young Composer brings together some of the UK’s brightest young talent to meet, explore and share ideas at workshops, concerts and events throughout the year. The scheme has provided a platform for talented young composers including previous competition winning and highly commended entrants Shiva Feshareki, Kate Whitley, Tom Harrold, Alissa Firsova, Mark Simpson, Toby Young, Lloyd Coleman and Duncan Ward.

Winning and highly commended composers are also invited to become part of a growing team of BBC Young Composer Ambassadors, giving our alumni a chance to continue a relationship with the BBC Proms beyond the age of 18.
Many of our recent alumni have gone on to receive additional commissions from the BBC including:

• Will Everitt, for the BBC Concert Orchestra – The Music and Meditation Podcast, 2023
• Sarah Jenkins, for the BBC Concert Orchestra – The Music and Meditation Podcast/BBC Proms, 2022
• Xia Leon Sloane, for the BBC Concert Orchestra, 2020
• Helena Paish and Electra Perivolaris, for the BBC Singers – Radio 3 International Women’s Day, 2020
• Grace-Evangeline Mason – BBC Proms At…Stage@TheDock, 2017
• Tom Harrold, for the BBC Symphony Orchestra – Last Night of the Proms, 2016

We want everyone to have the opportunity to take part and benefit from BBC Young Composer, nurturing and showcasing their original talent. Therefore, if you have any concerns regarding access or you know of barriers to entry, please get in contact with us on the details below.

If you have any questions about BBC Young Composer please contact a member of the team by emailing young.composer@bbc.co.uk or calling 0207 765 0557 during office hours (10am-5pm). Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply.

If you’re a teacher or music education professional who would like to speak to a member of the team about how we can support you and your students, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.