Bristol Beacon celebrates hosting BBC Young Musician Final for a second time

Three exceptional young musicians took to the stage in Beacon Hall in one of the UK’s most celebrated classical music competitions

Bristol Beacon was proud to host the Final of BBC Young Musician in October, welcoming the competition to the venue for a second consecutive time.

On Thursday 15 October, three outstanding finalists competed for the title in front of a live audience at Bristol Beacon: recorder player Alma Nunez Debretzeni, saxophonist Kezia Colton and violinist Sofia Demetriades. Each performed a concerto accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with the evening presented by broadcaster and writer Petroc Trelawny.

The finalists were assessed by a distinguished judging panel: pianist and composer Joanna MacGregor, conductor Ben Gernon, and celebrated composer and current Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen.

Only the audience in the hall knew the result on the night, and they witnessed Sofia Demetriades being named the winner before the rest of the country. The Final was broadcast on Sunday 1 November on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, and on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds, bringing the performances to viewers and listeners across the UK.

BBC Young Musician is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions for young classical musicians in the world and has launched the careers of some of the UK’s most exciting talents. Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who won the title in 2016, has gone on to international acclaim, and performed the UK premiere of Edmund Finnis’ Cello Concerto at Bristol Beacon to over 1600 people with Sir Antonio Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra, just a week after the recording of the 2026 Young Musician Final.

The competition continues to be a springboard for the next generation of performers. Hosting the Final for a second time is a significant moment for Bristol Beacon and a proud one for Bristol and the wider South West, placing the region’s cultural life on a national stage.