York | Andrew Benson-Wilson : Early Music Reviews +

2026 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition
National Centre for Early Music
York, 9-11 July 2026

The biennial York Early Music International Young Artists Competition was founded in 1985. It takes place in the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) in the impressively restored and extended former church of St Margaret’s, Walmgate in York. It forms the conclusion of the annual York Early Music Festival, celebrating its 50th birthday this year. A few events from the Festival are reviewed here.The theme for the festival was Beyond Borders, which perfectly sums up the focus of the Young Artists Competition, with its international cohort of performers presenting music from around the world, ranging from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century, using historically informed playing techniques, instruments and stylistic conventions. The competition is open to ensembles of at least three people, with performers aged 36 years or under, with an average age of 35 years or under on the day of the final. During the two days before the final, the nine ensembles gave informal concerts, with no judges present, all compared by Steven Devine. The final was livestreamed and recorded by BBC Radio 3. Highlights will be broadcast on the Early Music Show on 30 August at 5pm, and will be available afterwards on BBC Sounds.

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York Early Music International Young Artists Competition 2019
National Centre for Early Music
York, 11-13 July 2019

Founded in 1985, the York Early Music International Young Artists Competition (until 2009 under the auspices of the Early Music Network) is firmly ensconced in the National Centre for Early Music in the splendidly restored former medieval church of St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York. This year was the 18th incarnation of the biennial event, which for some years has formed part of the annual York Early Music Festival and is supported by the National Centre for Early Music, BBC Radio 3, Arts Council England and Linn Records. The full list of competition rules can be seen here but, briefly, there must be a minimum of two members aged 36 years or under with an average age of 32 or under. The repertory must be from the middle ages to the nineteenth century, using historically informed playing techniques, instruments and stylistic conventions. The ten finalists were chosen from 58 applications to provide a balance sequence of concerts in the final, covering the whole ‘early music’ period. The BBC Radio broadcast of selections of pieces from the final can be heard here.

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