From Saturday 15 to Sunday 30 March 2025
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Youth Programme

Our Youth Programme is now well established as an integral part of the Festival with initiatives such as the Barnes Young Musician of the Year Award, the Schools’ Concert, our Under 12 free ticket scheme and performance opportunities for first class music groups from local secondary schools. With children and families being a large part of the Barnes population, we aim to engage them in listening to and creating music within the Festival. We continue to devise new opportunities for involvement and to promote the enjoyment of music to young people in our community.

Schools Concert

The Schools Concert is a creative project for local primary schools with the aim of introducing primary aged children to the joy of music making. In 2018, children from Barnes Primary and St Paul’s School took centre stage for an entire event for the first time in the history of the festival where they performed Alexander L’Estrange’s, Zimbe! In 2019, Leonardo Da Vinci inspired the children. Our 2022 concert was based on the theme of bridges with a performance of Let’s Build a Bridge by Mark Wilderspin.

Barnes Young Musician of the Year

The Barnes Music Festival has an extensive Youth Programme. The Barnes Young Musician, now in its eighth year, is an instrumental competition available to the most advanced players in Barnes. The competition is supported by the Barnes Music Society. Applications are encouraged from players of Grade 6+ standard.

Sectional Masterclasses

Applications open in November 2024

Sectional Masterclasses were successfully introduced in 2022 in partnership with local schools. Led by outstanding musicians they offer valuable insight from outstanding leaders.

All Masterclasses last for 2 hours.

Barnes Young Musician Of the Year

First Round (video submissions):

The first round will be judged by a video submission 3-5minuites in length. This video need not be a ‘finished product’, but rather demonstrating potential and suitability for the final. The video can be accompanied or unaccompanied, using a live performer or pre-recorded backing track.

Previous Winners

2023

2023

  • Winner: Michael Tao, piano
  • Runners up: Jacqueline Yang, cello & Jane Lee, violin
  • Adjudicator: Ben Parry

2022

2022

  • Winner: Grace Wu, piano
  • Runners up: Sophia Membery, harp
  • Special Commendations: Josephine Russell, oboe & Jane Lee, violin
  • Adjudicator: Toby Purser

2021

2021

  • Winner: Mila Mitrovic, clarinet
  • Runners up: Tian Hsu, trumpet & Josephine Russel, oboe
  • Adjudicator: Jane Gordon

2020

2020

  • Winner: Xenia Edwards, violin
  • Runners up: Tian Hsu, trumpet
  • Adjudicator: Ashley Solomon

2019

2019

  • Winner: Charlotte Comon, cello
  • Runners up: Madeleine Jablonowska, clarinet
  • Adjudicator: Paul McCreesh

2018

2018

  • Winner: Calvin Leung, piano
  • Runners up: Andreana Chan, violin
  • Adjudicator: Hilary Davan Wetton

2017

2017

  • Winner: Samuel Tannenbaum, piano
  • Runners up: N/A
  • Adjudicator: Ralph Allwood