Young Conductors Competition

Competition Details

Are you a budding conductor aged 20 – 30?

Then our Conducting Competition is waiting for you to enter!

This is the second time we’re running our Conducting Competition, and this time we’re offering the opportunity to work as Assistant Conductor to Professor David King on the Youth Band’s 2024 Summer course at Stonyhurst College, and to conduct a work at the Summer concert in Blackburn Cathedral.

In addition the overall winner gets a £750 cash prize.

Enter Competition

Competition Rules

Entry to the competition is free of charge, the winner will receive:
a) an invitation to work as Assistant Conductor alongside maestro Prof David King and The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain during their 2024 summer residential course at Stonyhurst College between 3rd and 10th August 2024,
b) the opportunity to conduct a work at the NYBBGB’s Summer concert on 10th August in Blackburn Cathedral,
c) a cash prize of £750.

Entries will be assessed by Dr Robert Childs and Prof David King. Finalists will be determined through the quality of entries (see below) and may also include a conversation with Dr Childs and/or Prof King. The deadline for applications is 29th October 2023.

Four entrants will be selected to proceed to the Final. The Final will take place on the 13th January 2024 in Tidworth, Wiltshire and will involve rehearsing a full brass band made up of players from the NYBBGB.

The Final will be live and the four finalists will be judged by a panel including Lt Col David Barringer, Dr Robert Childs and Captain Andy Porter.

Each finalist will be given 35 mins to rehearse one of the following well known brass band works; Resurgam – Eric Ball, Music for a Festival – Philip Sparke, Shine as the Light – Peter Graham, Dimensions – Peter Graham.

Finalists should prepare all four set-works. Each finalists set-work and the running order will be drawn by lot on the day.

Entries

1. Your entry must be submitted by 29th October 2023.
2. All entrants must be aged 20 or over and 30 or under on 1st January 2024.
3. You must scan and upload an image of your passport’s information page for verification purposes.
4. You must submit a short biography outlining your experience and ambition (max. 5000 characters), including your recent place(s) of study and/or the name of your teacher(s) as well as a concise list of recent and forthcoming engagements.
5. You must submit a video of yourself conducting. The video must be under 10 minutes in length.
6. Please be aware that the Final of the Competition may be recorded for online streaming. By entering the Competition you are giving your consent for your performance, should you reach the Final, to be filmed and streamed online. All rights will be owned by the NYBBGB in perpetuity.

Enter Competition