Teenage violinist wins BBC Young Musician 2026, after first all-female final
Eighteen-year-old violinist Sofia Demetriades has won BBC Young Musician 2026, after the competition’s first all-female final in its 48-year history. Judges praised her performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto for its insight, poetry and maturity, marking a major achievement early in her musical career.
From Leicestershire, Demetriades is in her first year at the Royal Academy of Music. She competed alongside saxophonist Kezia Colton, 18, and recorder player Alma Nunez Debretzeni, 17; all three performed concertos with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Bristol. Demetriades receives £3,000 towards her studies, recording and broadcast opportunities, while all finalists will receive career support from Young Classical Artists Trust.
In short
- Sofia Demetriades, 18, won BBC Young Musician 2026.
- It was the competition’s first all-female final.
- She receives £3,000 and recording and broadcast opportunities.
Explained simply
BBC Young Musician is a national competition for young classical musicians, now in its 48th year. Entrants perform as soloists, and finalists play with a professional orchestra before a panel of judges.
The competition features instrumentalists from across the UK, including players of strings, wind and early instruments such as the recorder. Its award and career support can help young musicians develop their studies and gain performance and broadcast experience.
The Royal Academy of Music, where Sofia Demetriades is studying, is a London conservatoire that trains musicians. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a professional orchestra based in Cardiff that performs concerts and broadcasts across Wales and beyond.