BSO Music-Making Competition

We are delighted to launch the 2026 BSO Music-Making Competition, sponsored by Lark Music. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is a community of music lovers, which exists to bring music into people’s lives – and we want to celebrate the joy of music-making through this competition. It’s open to all UK-based non-professional musicians (18+), so if that sounds like you, this could be your time to shine!

Sound fun? It gets even better… The winners of each age category (18-24 years, 25-39 years, and 40+ years) will win £1,000, courtesy of Lark Music!

Get involved

All you need to do is submit a video up to three minutes long of your instrumental performance to take part and be in with a chance to win your share of the £3,000 prize pot. You can play any instrument or music your heart desires, whether it’s pop, rock, jazz, classical, or even your own composition!

What we’re looking for

• Maximum of 3 minutes
• Live performance in one take
• One entrant only per video
• Accompaniment is optional (accompanist will not be considered an entrant)
• Vocals cannot be included, we want to hear your instrument shine

Need some inspiration? Take a look at how Ed got on with his submission of Blackbird by The Beatles on acoustic guitar…

Judging criteria

Our judges aren’t looking for perfection, but for something that moves. Here is their criteria:

• Control – How well you play your instrument
• Creativity and Musicality – How you bring the music to life
• Communication – How your performance connects with the viewer

How to enter

The competition closes on 3 September 2026, so don’t miss out! Entering couldn’t be easier, here’s a breakdown of what you need to do to get involved:

1. Pick your piece – whether you play Bach, Bowie or something brand new, it’s about how you bring the music to life.
2. Record your rhythm – no professional set up is required, just you, your phone or camera, and your music.
3. Submission time – fill in the registration form below and you’ll be taken to our submission portal. The portal page will give you all the info you need, but you must remember to use the same email on both the form and the submission portal so we are able to contact you.
4. Once you’ve submitted your video, you can sit back and relax, ready for winner announcements in September. With plenty of prizes up for grabs, there could be some good news coming your very way soon…relax, ready for winner announcements in September. With plenty of prizes up for grabs, there could be some good news coming your very way soon…

If you have any questions, check out our FAQs page, or get in touch with us by emailing create@bsorchestra.co.uk .

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(Please note that you will only be contacted by the BSO and via email if you win and we will not ask for your financial details through social media or unverified email.)

The BSO Music-Making Competition is proudly supported by Lark Music, championing creativity and musicians at every level. Lark Music is a specialist musical instrument insurer, protecting musicians and their instruments for over 35 years. Together, Lark Music and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra help more people experience, share and take part in music.

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