Finalists Announced at 2018 Eurovision Young Classical Musicians Contest

The 6 Finalists have today been announced at the 2018 Eurovision Young Musicians Contest – in Edinburgh, Scotland

The 6 Finalists have today been announced at the 2018 Eurovision Young Musicians Contest – in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The 2018 Finalists, each to represent their home countries, are:

• 18-year-old violinist Nikola Pajanović from Slovenia
• 16-year-old violinist Mira Foron from Germany
• 16-year-old cellist Birgitta Elisa Oftestad from Norway
• 17-year-old double bassist Indi Stivín from the Czech Republic
• 18-year-old saxophonist Máté Bencze from Hungary
• 16-year-old pianist Ivan Bessonov from Russia

The final round will be held at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on the 23rd of August - with conductor Thomas Dausgaard and the BBC Scottish Symphony.

A co-production between the European Broadcasting Union, the Edinburgh International Festival and the British Broadcasting Corporation, the 2018 1st prize winner will receive €7,000 – plus a solo engagement with the BBC Scottish Symphony.

Previous 1st prize winners include violinists Julian Rachlin, Julia Fischer, Isabelle van Keulen, Alexandra Soumm - and VC Young Artist Ziyu He.