# United Kingdom in the Eurovision Young Musicians

The United Kingdom has participated in the biennial classical music competition Eurovision Young Musicians sixteen times since its debut in 1982. The British participant broadcaster in the contest is the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). They hosted the inaugural contest in 1982 and won the contest in 1994. They returned to the contest in 2018 after a 8-year absence as hosts, but did not return for the next editions in 2022 or 2024.

## History

BBC Young Musician (originally BBC Young Musician of the Year) is a televised national music competition organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), that inspired the creation of the Eurovision Young Musicians itself. Broadcast on BBC Television and BBC Radio 3 biennially, the competition, a former member of European Union of Music Competitions for Youth, is designed for British percussion, keyboard, string, brass and woodwind players, all of whom must be eighteen years of age or under on 1 January in the relevant year.
The competition was established in 1978 by Humphrey Burton and Walter Todds, both of whom are former members of the BBC Television Music Department. From 1982, the winner of the show often proceeded to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Young Musicians.

## Participation overview

Table key :
| 1 | Winner |
| 2 | Second place |
| 3 | Third place |
| Year | Entrant | Instrument | Final | Semi |
| 1982 | Anna Markland | Piano | — | No semi-finals |
| 1984 | Emma Johnson | Clarinet | 3 | No semi-finals |
| 1986 | Alan Brind | Violin | — | — |
| 1988 | David Pyatt | Horn | — | — |
| 1990 | Nicola Loud | Violin | Did not qualify | — |
| 1992 | Frederick Kempf | Piano | — | — |
| 1994 | Natalie Clein | Cello | 1 | — |
| 1996 | Rafal Zambrzycki Payne | Violin | Did not qualify | — |
| 1998 | Adrian Spillett | Percussion | 3 | — |
| 2000 | Guy Johnston | Cello | Did not qualify | — |
| 2002 | Sarah Williamson | Clarinet | 2 | — |
| 2004 | Nicola Benedetti | Violin | Did not qualify | — |
| 2006 | Jennifer Pike | Violin | — | — |
| 2008 | Philip Achille | Harmonica | — | — |
| 2010 | Peter Moore | Trombone | Did not qualify | — |
| 2012–2016 | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| 2018 | Maxim Calver | Cello | Did not qualify | — |
| 2022–2024 | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |

## Hostings

| Year | Location | Venues | Presenter(s) |
| 1982 | Manchester | Free Trade Hall | Humphrey Burton |
| 2018 | Edinburgh | Semi-final: Festival Theatre Studio Final: Usher Hall | Petroc Trelawny and Josie d'Arby |

## Commentators

| Year(s) | Commentator(s) | Channel |
| 1982 | Humphrey Burton and Margaret Percy | BBC Two and BBC Radio 4 |
| 1984 | Humphrey Burton and Jane Glover | BBC Two |
| 1986 | Humphrey Burton, John Manduell (semi-final) Alun Francis (final) | BBC Two |
| 1988 | Humphrey Burton and Jane Glover (final only) | BBC Two |
| 1990 | Humphrey Burton and Edward Gregson | BBC Two |
| 1992 | Humphrey Burton | BBC Two |
| 1994 | Humphrey Burton | BBC Two |
| 1996 | Sarah Walker | BBC Two |
| 1998 | Stephanie Hughes | BBC Two |
| 2000 | Stephanie Hughes | BBC Two |
| 2002 | Stephanie Hughes | BBC Two |
| 2004 | Stephanie Hughes | BBC Four |
| 2006 | Howard Goodall | BBC Four |
| 2008 | Nicola Loud | BBC Four |
| 2010 | Clemency Burton-Hill | BBC Four |
| 2012–2016 | Not broadcast | Not broadcast |
| 2018 | Petroc Trelawny and Josie d'Arby | BBC Two Scotland (final) BBC Red Button (final only) BBC Radio 3 |
| 2022–2024 | Not broadcast | Not broadcast |