大象传媒

The search for the next 大象传媒 Young Musician reaches its penultimate stage as the category winners from strings, percussion, woodwind, brass and keyboards compete for three places in Sunday's grand final. Josie D'Arby is joined by acclaimed violinist Nicola Benedetti, 大象传媒 Young Musician Winner in 2004, and world-famous trumpeter Alison Balsom, artistic director of the Cheltenham Festival, who won the Brass Category in 1998.

The category winners competing in the semi-final are: Matthew Brett, a 17-year-old percussionist from Cheshire, Maxim Calver, 18, who plays the cello and studies at Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, and Robert Burton, an 18-year-old saxophonist who is a first-year student at the Royal Academy of Music. They will be joined by the winners of the brass and keyboard category finals.

On the jury are conductor Jessica Cottis, chief executive of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Gavin Reid, and the chair of the Young Musician 2018 Juries, composer, performer and writer, Kerry Andrew.

大象传媒 Young Musician has been showcasing the very best British classical music talent for the past 40 years. Tonight's five semi-finalists are competing for just three places in Sunday's grand final at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, to play a full concerto with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. One will be named 大象传媒 Young Musician 2018.