The Semi-Finalists
Find details of the semi-finalists and adjudicators by clicking on the following links:

Brass Semi-Finalists
Keyboard Semi-Finalists
Percussion Semi-Finalists
Strings Semi-Finalists
Woodwind Semi-Finalists

Booking details (at The Sage, Gateshead website)

Time Limit
Your chosen programme should not exceed 15 minutes, including tuning breaks and breaks between movements. Your time starts when you enter the audition room. In the event of a tie between competitors, if any have exceeded the time limit, this will be taken into account when choosing who goes through to the Final.

Choice of Pieces
You may play one piece performed in Stages 1 or 2 (unless you have repeated a piece in Stage 3) but not Stage 3. You may also play another movement from the same work. You must play one piece written by a living composer within the last 10 years.

Eurovision Competition
NB – Change to requirements
The following change has been made to details of the requirements for Stage 4 – Semi-finals of the competition. After much consideration it has been decided that we will not look for a representative at the Eurovision competition from this year’s competitors and therefore we do not require anyone to include a work by Mozart at Stage 4. The Eurovision Final will form part of a gala concert which opens the City of Vienna’s celebrations of the Mozart anniversary year. It has now been confirmed that competitors in Vienna will have to play specified original extracts from works by Mozart and his contemporaries. This will obviously preclude some of our competitors from being considered for selection. As the date of the Eurovision Final is just a week before the BBC Final it is also felt that possible participation at Eurovision could add undue pressure and jeopardise performances at The Sage.

Therefore we have decided that the BBC will be represented in Vienna by Jennifer Pike, the BBC Young Musician of 2002. Due to a change in the Eurovision competition rules, Jennifer was prevented from participating in Berlin in the year she won our title. This was extremely unfortunate and disappointing for her and her family. We are delighted that she is now being offered the chance to take part in this event – albeit four years later than planned.

We understand that many of you will already have been sourcing and indeed perhaps learning repertoire for Stage 4 and that this change of regulation will be frustrating. We also expect that some of you may be disappointed at not having the chance to participate at Eurovision. We can only apologise for this and confirm that this situation will not occur again in future competitions."

Prize
£2000 to each section winner who then takes part in the Final.