BBC Young Composer

Young People

BBC Young Composer encourages 12-18 year olds to make and share their own music. As well as resources covering how to get started, writing for film, TV and video games and writing for different instruments - 12-18 year olds are also encouraged to enter our biennial competition. Our next competition is in 2023.

Teachers

Teachers can find a wealth of composition resources focussing on Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at 3rd Level, 4th level, National 4 and 5 in Scotland.

Teachers can also join our BBC Young Composer Network to sign-up for information on our events, resources and access to Continuing Professional Development (teacher training) activities.

Organisations

If you're an individual from an organisation and interested in collaborating with BBC Young Composer; please join our BBC Young Composer Network to be notified of any upcoming opportunities.

In 2022, we are delighted to be offering a new online resources hub alongside workshops for schools and teachers leading to the next competition which will be in 2023.

The BBC Young Composer competition will now take place biennially (every other year).

Six talented young composers have been announced as the winners of the BBC Young Composer 2021 Competition.
Congratulations to this year’s winners and highly commended entrants!

Winners

Lower Juniors (12 – 14 years)
• Isaac Bristow – Dark Matter
• Theo Kendall – Magellan

Upper Juniors (15 – 16 years)
• Maddy Chassar-Hesketh – From Galaxies to Cells
• Will Everitt – Etude

Seniors (17 – 18 years)
• Chelsea Becker – Iris - for oboe and electronics
• Jenna Stewart – Lost Times

Highly Commended

Lower Juniors (12 – 14 years)
• Taro d'Aronville – Helix
• Avram Harris – Yizkor
• Sam Hesketh – God of the Moon

Upper Juniors (15 – 16 years)
• Andrea Lam – Life in 5 & 1/2 Minutes
• Leo Little – Wind Quintet no. 1 "Adolescence" (movement 1)
• Reese Carly Manglicmot – Praeludium

Seniors (17 – 18 years)
• William Clark – Piece for Piano, Celeste, Percussion and small orchestra
• Polina Savicka – Feel Study
• Melanie Silva – I DIED AND WENT TO SPACE

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:

• Tom Harrold, for BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Last Night of the Proms, 2016

• Grace Mason, Proms At…Stage@TheDock, 2017

• Sarah Jenkins, for BBC Concert Orchestra, 2018

• Xia Leon Sloane, for BBC Concert Orchestra, 2020

• Helena Paish and Electra Perivolaris, for the BBC Singers for Radio 3's International Women’s Day commission

• Mark Simpson, currently Composer in Association with the BBC Philharmonic

If you wish to ask a question to our Ambassadors (whether about the BBC Young Composer competition or more generally about your own music), feel free to send an email to young.composer@bbc.co.uk and we will pass it on.

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.