Scottish Young Musicians 2024 Reveals Judges and Finalists

Scottish Young Musicians, Scotland’s festival of music competitions, will give young musicians from around the country the chance to compete to win career-enhancing prizes, perform live on a national stage in front of internationally renowned judges, and push their skills like never before. 

In 2024, local authorities covering 99% of Scotland’s population are taking part in Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year, giving opportunities to more young people who would like to compete in Scotland’s only music competition where funding and expertise is offered to every school and Local Authority. The competition is open to all young musicians who go to school in Scotland, whatever age or standard, and each area has selected their best local soloist to compete at the National Final at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 26 May 2024. 

Finalists range from S2 to school leavers and play a variety of instruments covering everything from traditional Scottish music being performed on clarsach and pipes, to classical music being performed on instruments representing all sections of the orchestra. A link to the full list of finalists, the Local Authority they’re representing and their instrument can be found in Notes to Editors.

Celebrated broadcaster and singer Jamie MacDougall will be hosting the competition again this year and guiding the young people and the audience through the day. 

This year’s panel of adjudicators will be led by trumpeter John Wallace. As a performer, John played trumpet in the LSO, Philharmonia, and London Sinfonietta and more before becoming the Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2002-2014. He is convenor of the Music Education Partnership Group.

John will be joined by soprano Jane Irwin, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, BBC Proms, Edinburgh International Festival and more, and with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Andrew Davis, and Sir Mark Elder. 

Scottish clarinettist, soloist, and the Principal Clarinet No. 2 of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Adam Lee, will also be on the panel, as will pianist and RCS lecturer Sinae Lee who has played with Korean Symphony Orchestra, St. James Orchestra, Glasgow Orchestral Society and more. Rounding out this esteemed group of adjudicators is violinist, composer and conductor Greg Lawson, who has held principal and leading positions in most of the orchestras in Scotland, played regularly with Salsa Celtica, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and worked with Traditional Scottish Musicians like Donald Shaw and Duncan Chisholm.

The accompanist for the day will be Claire Haslin, who has been a staff repetiteur at Scottish Opera, is a staff accompanist & coach for the Scottish International Flute Summer School, and holds accompaniment, coaching and teaching posts at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Glasgow University music department, amongst others. 

The winners of the Solo Performer of the Year, the Open Ensemble competition and Brass Ensemble of the Year will all receive a stunning Maid of Morven trophy designed by Alexander Stoddart, the King’s Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland. The winner of Solo Performer of the Year will also receive a cash prize and a package provided by The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, host of the national final. They are offering the winner of the solo competition a coaching session with the relevant head of department, participation in a masterclass, and a studio recording session with an accompanist provided, giving the winner a quality recording that could be used for auditions. The Conservatoire is also providing two runners up a coaching session with the relevant heads of department and participation in a masterclass.

Other prizes are being generously donated by some of the UK’s top music organisations to help give the best in each category a career-enhancing experience

Other prizes are being generously donated by some of the UK’s top music organisations. With their help SYM will award career-enhancing prizes to the best musician in each category (strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, voice, piano and trad).

Belmont Academy Woodwind Ensemble, who were recently announced as Ensemble of the Year, and Brass Ensemble of the Year Campbeltown Brass, will receive a cash prize to further their musical experiences, and an all-expenses paid trip to play a prime slot at the Solo Performer of the Year National Final. The Brass Ensemble prize has been generously donated by Dr Ursula Jones OBE in honour of her late husband Philip Jones CBE, who founded one of the world’s most celebrated brass ensembles. 

Finalists were offered the chance to attend an online session on performance presentation led by Matthew Chinn, Associate Head of Junior Conservatoire Music at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and clarinettist, composer and teacher Adam Lee, which covered what will be expected on the day and the top 10 tips of how to present yourself for a performance.

Alan Kerr, Chair of Scottish Young Musicians, said: “Scottish Young Musicians is now more established than ever, with competitions in all but one Local Authority and continued support from the UK’s top institutions and musicians. It’s firmly embedded as an annual highlight for Instrumental Music Services across Scotland. We’re proud to provide opportunities to young people that help increase their mental wellbeing, musical skill and confidence, and delighted to raise the profile of music-making opportunities outside of a school setting and at a national level. We look forward to continuing this vital work into the future and to seeing the culmination of everyone’s hard work on 26 May! We are enormously grateful to all our donors and supporters who make this possible.”

John Wallce, Chief Adjudicator for Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year 2024, said: “Scottish Young Musicians is a remarkable nation-wide festival of young Scottish musical talent in every genre. It is so life-affirming to witness the joy of music emanating from every part of our country. As adjudicators we will relish every part of every performance and the winner will be the young person who best communicates their joy in music.”

For more information, please visit www.scottishyoungmusicians.com or follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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