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Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition

The centrepiece of ROSL’s year-round programme of events and support for young musicians. We award over £70,000 in prizes to solo performers and chamber ensembles each year.

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Applications are now open for the 2026 competition, entries will close on 5 January 2026.
You can read about the full guidelines, and how to apply below.
If you have any questions, please email roslarts@rosl.org.uk

The ROSL Annual Music Competition is the flagship of our Arts programme. With an increasingly international reach, talented young musicians apply each year to compete for over £75,000 in prize money. The competition is divided into six sections, Wind and Brass, Keyboard, Singers, Strings, String Ensembles and Mixed Ensembles. Our four solo winners progress to compete for the prestigious Gold Medal award, in a grand final held at Wigmore Hall.

Once a musician wins a prize in our competition, they are offered an artistic home, where we provide experienced mentorship, links into the industry, and further paid performance opportunities both at ROSL and through a wide range of promoting partners.  Many of our musicians become familiar faces at ROSL, strongly valuing our long-term support even over their initial prize money.

We are delighted to confirm that the 2026 Annual Music Competition Section Finals will take place over the usual months of February and March.

  • Tuesday 10 February, 7pm – Wind, Brass and Percussion Section Final 
  • Tuesday 17 February, 7pm – Singers Section Final 
  • Tuesday 24 February, 7pm – Keyboard Section Final 
  • Tuesday 3 March, 7pm – Strings Section Final 
  • Tuesday 10 March, 7pm – Strings and Keyboard Ensembles Section Final 
  • Tuesday 17 March, 7pm – Wind and Mixed Ensembles Section Final 
  • Tuesday 24 March, 7pm – Overseas Award 

All section finals will take place in our Princess Alexandra Hall at Over-Seas House, tickets will be available soon to purchase from our events page.

Our 2026 Gold Medal Final will take place on Friday 15 May 2026, 7.30pm at Wigmore Hall, London. Tickets will be available to buy directly from Wigmore Hall from January 2026.

 

 

Applications for the 2026 Competition are now open!

We advise that you read the information below before you fill out our application form.

If you have any questions please email roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Information for Applicants

ROYAL OVER-SEAS LEAGUE 74th ANNUAL MUSIC COMPETITION 2026

Since 2022, the ROSL Annual Music Competition has been open to nationalities beyond the Commonwealth. The ROSL prizes are now open to musicians from Japan and South Korea as well as the USA, all EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and all current and former Commonwealth countries.

For further information on individual sections, select your entry category from the dropdown sections below.

We recommend that you leave plenty of time before the deadline for uploading videos – upload speeds are much slower than download for most internet connections!

The overall competition is made up of the following sections:

  • ROSL Singers Prize
  • ROSL Solo Wind, Brass and Percussion Prize
  • ROSL Solo Strings Prize
  • ROSL Solo Keyboard Prize
  • ROSL String Ensembles Prize
  • ROSL Mixed Ensembles Prize

The winners of the four solo prizes compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize.

The solo awards are open to citizens of the UK, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth Countries, the U.S.A, all EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea for instrumentalists and singers between the ages of 18 and 30 as at 15th May 2026.

The ROSL String Ensembles Prize is for strings (duos with harp or guitar only, not instrument+piano), strings and piano, or piano duo/duet.

The ROSL Mixed Ensembles Prize is for wind, percussion, vocal or mixed ensembles (no duos of instrument/voice+piano).

At least one of the ensemble members must be a citizen of a Commonwealth or former Commonwealth Country, Japan, South Korea, the USA, EU and EEA countries or Switzerland. The remaining ensemble members may be of any nationality. At least half the members of a group must be between the ages of 18 and 30 as of 15th May 2026, and the average age of the group must also be 30 or under.

The competition has a modest fund to assist with travel expenses and accommodation for those travelling into the UK for any live rounds.

The ROSL offers many performance opportunities to prizewinners after the competition at major venues including Wigmore Hall in London and has established relationships with many UK festivals including Brighton, Buxton, Lichfield, Kings Lynn, Lake District Summer Music, Newbury Spring Festival, Cambridge Summer Music and St George’s Bristol. In recent years ROSL ARTS has organised concerts and tours for prizewinners in Australia, Canada, Malta, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Antigua and Zimbabwe.

Awards

AWARDS

  • Gold Medal and First Prize £15,000 (£10,000+£5,000 professional development scholarship)
  • ROSL Solo Keyboard Prize £5,000
  • ROSL Solo Strings Prize £5,000
  • ROSL Singers Prize £5,000
  • ROSL Solo Wind, Brass and Percussion Prize £5,000
  • Award for collaborative pianists £5,000
  • ROSL String Ensembles Prize £10,000
  • ROSL Mixed Ensembles Prize £10,000
  • ROSL Overseas Award £3,000

In addition to the prizes listed above, ROSL has a fund of up to £18,000 for awards for specific categories including non-UK Commonwealth musicians, particular instruments and for young musicians of exceptional promise.
Additional prizes that are regularly awarded include the Philip Jones Brass Prize, the Tait Memorial Trust Prize and the Yorke Trust Double Bass Prize. 

ROSL is partnered with Making Music to offer our section final winners the chance to join the Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artist Award (PDGYA) for one year. Any eligible winner of the main Solo Prizes, Ensemble category winners and the Overseas award winner will be featured in the new Recommended Artist Guide and have the opportunity to be booked for performances with Making Music’s member promoters.

Gold Medal Scholarship
Following a generous legacy received in memory of Mani Bhumgara, the Gold Medal winner receives a £5,000 scholarship, administered and mentored by ROSL ARTS, to be spent flexibly on projects which will help support and build their career.

Overseas Awards
The Overseas Awards showcase non-UK Commonwealth musicians from all stages of the competition (including the first stage video round) who have shown exceptional promise. Musicians will be invited to perform at this special evening on the 24th March 2026, where various prizes are available, including the ROSL Overseas Award.

Deadline for applications: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

 

Eligibility & Rules

Eligibility
The 2026 competition is open to citizens of the UK, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth Countries, the U.S.A, all EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea for instrumentalists and singers between the ages of 18 and 30 as of 15th May 2026. You must have citizenship at the time of application.
For ensembles, at least half the members of a group must be between the ages of 18 and 30 as of 15th May 2026, and the average age of the group must also be 30 or under.

Collaborative pianists
Duo pianists are not provided for the semi-final and final rounds but can be recommended. Collaborative piano partners may be of any age or nationality; however only those who are from the UK, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth Countries, the U.S.A, all EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea between the ages of 18 and 30 as at 15 May 2026 will be considered for the Collaborative Piano prize. Entry for this award is via the application of the solo prize candidate.

Competition Rules
The ROSL Artistic Director’s decision to accept or refuse any entry is final. The decision of the Adjudicating Panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The Adjudicators reserve the right to withhold any prize should the required standard not be attained.

Candidates must have relevant nationality at the time of entering the competition.

Solo entries are for one instrument only, but repertoire can include doubling instruments from the same family (for example a clarinettist could include works for bass or e flat clarinet, or an oboist could include a work for cor anglais).

Period instruments: where possible we will arrange hire of a harpsichord to accompany solo period instruments if your entire programme requires it. Due to stage size restrictions we are unable to accommodate fortepiano.

Once a competitor has won a prize in the Annual Music Competition, they are not eligible for that prize in a subsequent year. Previous winners of the main solo awards are not eligible to enter the Annual Music Competition as soloists again.

The ROSL Artistic Director reserves the right to allow any stage of the Annual Music Competition to be recorded, broadcast or televised. Any resulting material from this remains the property of ROSL and cannot be repurposed elsewhere.

We will not communicate through third parties – each candidate must have their own direct email address and contact details.

Page turners are not provided at any stage of the competition.

Candidates must be available for all relevant audition dates, including the Overseas Awards evening on 24 March 2026 for non-UK Commonwealth competitors and the Gold Medal Final at Wigmore Hall on Friday 15 May 2026.

Once a candidate has been accepted by the Annual Music Competition, alteration to the submitted programme will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. We encourage you to consider your programming carefully at application stage. 

Deadline for applications: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

 

Audition Dates 2026

Application Deadline: Monday 5 January, 5pm

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January (Results will be emailed as soon as possible after this)

Wind, brass and percussion
Stage 2 Monday 9 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 10 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Singers
Stage 2 Monday 16 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 17 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Keyboard
Stage 2 Monday 23 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 24 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Strings
Stage 2 Monday 2 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 3 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Ensembles A (strings/keyboard)
Stage 2 Monday 9 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 10 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Ensembles B (wind/mixed)
Stage 2 Monday 16 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 17 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Overseas Awards
Tuesday 24 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final
Friday 15 May 2026, 7pm

All auditions (including the Overseas Awards) take place in the Princess Alexandra Hall at Over-Seas House London, except for the Gold Medal Final, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

For technical questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk and one of our team will assist you as quickly as possible.

Solo: Wind, Brass & Percussion

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. Repertoire choice is free, but plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an artist.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds.


Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. The winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize. (Repertoire choices for Stage 4 are not required at the time of application.)

The winners of the two Ensemble awards perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

Overseas Awards
Final, 15 minutes free choice. For outstanding non-UK Commonwealth competitors. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. Curriculum vitae and a short biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A headshot of yourself suitable for printed programmes

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

TIMETABLE AND LOCATIONS

Audition dates 2026

Application Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026, 5pm

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January

Wind, brass and percussion
Stage 2 Monday 9 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 10 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Overseas Awards
Tuesday 24 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final 
Wednesday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions (including the Overseas Awards) take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

APPLY HERE

 

Solo: Singers

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. Repertoire choice is free, but plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an artist.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds.

Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. The winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize. (Repertoire choices for Stage 4 are not required at the time of application.)

The winners of the two Ensemble awards perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

Overseas Awards
Final, 15 minutes free choice. For outstanding non-UK Commonwealth competitors. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. Curriculum vitae and a short biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A headshot of yourself suitable for printed programmes

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

 

TIMETABLE AND LOCATION

Audition dates 2026

Application deadline: Monday 5 January, 5pm 

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January

Singers
Stage 2 Monday 16 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 17 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Overseas Awards
Tuesday 24 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final 
Wednesday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions (including the Overseas Awards) take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

Any questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk

APPLY HERE

 

 

Solo: Keyboard

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. Repertoire choice is free, but plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an artist.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds.


Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. The winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize. (Repertoire choices for Stage 4 are not required at the time of application.)

The winners of the two Ensemble awards perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

Overseas Awards
Final, 15 minutes free choice. For outstanding non-UK Commonwealth competitors. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. Curriculum vitae and a short biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A headshot of yourself suitable for printed programmes

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

TIMETABLE AND LOCATION
Audition dates 2026

Application deadline: Monday 5 January, 5pm 

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January

Keyboard
Stage 2 Monday 23 February, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 24 February, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Overseas Awards
Tuesday 24 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final 
Wednesday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions (including the Overseas Awards) take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

Any questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk

APPLY HERE

 

 

Solo: Strings

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. Repertoire choice is free, but plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an artist.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds.


Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. The winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize. (Repertoire choices for Stage 4 are not required at the time of application.)

The winners of the two Ensemble awards perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

Overseas Awards
Final, 15 minutes free choice. For outstanding non-UK Commonwealth competitors. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. Curriculum vitae and a short biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A headshot of yourself suitable for printed programmes

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

TIMETABLE AND LOCATION

Audition dates 2026

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
Application Deadline: Monday 5 January, 5pm

6-12 January

Strings
Stage 2 Monday 2 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 3 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Overseas Awards
Tuesday 24 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final 
Wednesday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions (including the Overseas Awards) take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

Any questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk

APPLY HERE

 

Ensemble A: String and Keyboard Ensembles

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Ensembles need just a minimum of ONE member who is a citizen of a Commonwealth, or former Commonwealth Country, the USA, EU, EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan or South Korea.

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well-balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. The maximum ensemble size is 8 performers and groups must be unconducted. Repertoire choice is free, but choice of repertoire plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an ensemble.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds, this includes the touching of any strings or placing anything inside the piano.

Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist/ensemble
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. Only the winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize.

The winners of the two Ensemble awards are invited to perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. A biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A photograph of your ensemble suitable for printed programmes.

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

TIMETABLE AND LOCATION

Audition dates 2026

Application deadline: Monday 5 January, 5pm 

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January

Ensembles A (strings/keyboard)
Stage 2 Monday 9 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 10 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final Concert
Friday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

Any questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk

APPLY HERE

 

Ensemble B: Wind and Mixed Ensembles

Guidelines

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026 at 5pm.

APPLY HERE

Ensembles just need a minimum of ONE member who is a citizen of a Commonwealth or former Commonwealth Country, the USA, EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan or South Korea.

Candidates should present a varied, imaginative and well-balanced programme predominantly of Western classical music. The maximum ensemble size is 8 performers and groups must be unconducted. Repertoire choice is free, but choice of repertoire plays an important part of the assessment of candidates at each stage of the competition; we want you to present works which you feel best represent you as an ensemble.

Arrangements of works originally written for other instruments are acceptable. All vocal works should be sung in their original language. We do not allow any prepared piano in the live rounds, this includes the touching of any strings or placing anything inside the piano.

Stage 1 Video Guidelines

  • 12-15 minutes of free choice repertoire, which you feel represents you as an artist/ensemble
  • The video/s must have been filmed no earlier than 1st Jan 2024
  • Separate videos for each work being performed are acceptable
  • The videos must be of high quality – they do not have to be professional, but must have clear sound and vision. We will allow videos with more than one camera angle, but they must be unedited and clearly recorded in one take.
  • All videos must be uploaded using the Acceptd online application process
  • Solo pianists’ hands and face must be in the shot at all times.
  • If you are having difficulties making a video or need advice, please email us on roslarts@rosl.org.uk

Soloists/Ensembles

Stage 1 (Preliminary video auditions) 12-15 minutes free choice.

Stage 2 (semi-finals) 20 minutes free choice programme, but works must differ from stage 1

Stage 3 (Section finals) 20 minutes free choice. A mini-recital which may include one work presented in either of the earlier rounds. Open to the public.

Stage 4 (Grand Final) 15 minutes free choice. Only the winners of the main solo awards (Keyboard, Strings, Wind/Percussion, Singers) compete for the Competition Gold Medal and First Prize.

The winners of the two Ensemble awards are invited to perform while the jury deliberates. Open to the public.

The timings given above are performance times and should include settling, tuning, rests between pieces etc.

Documents
The following documents should be uploaded as part of the application process.

  1. A scan of a birth certificate or similar official document confirming the candidate’s date and place of birth (not necessary for Ensembles).
  2. A biography (200 words maximum) suitable for printed concert programmes.
  3. A photograph of your ensemble suitable for printed programmes.

Fees
Soloists £40, Ensembles £40 per group, payable by debit or credit card as prompted on the application form as part of the application process. These fees are non-refundable.

TIMETABLE AND LOCATION
Audition dates 2026

Application deadline: Monday 5 January 2025 at 5pm

Stage 1 preliminary video rounds
6-12 January

Ensembles B (Wind/Mixed)
Stage 2 Monday 16 March, 10.00am – 5.00pm
Stage 3 Tuesday 17 March, 7.00 – 9.00pm

Gold Medal Final Concert
Friday 15 May, 7.30pm

All auditions take place at Over-Seas House London, except for the Final Concert, which takes place at Wigmore Hall, London.

Any questions, please contact roslarts@rosl.org.uk

APPLY HERE

 

 

GDPR

We only collect the information that is necessary to carry out normal business operations. We keep several categories of personal data on applicants of our competitions in order to carry out effective and efficient processes. We keep this data in applicant files relating to each programme and we also hold the data within our computer systems.

The types of information we hold may include:

  • Personal details such as title, pronoun, name, postal address, contact telephone number(s), email address;
  • name and contact details of your next of kin;
  • Photographs, audio and/or video footage
  • Gender
  • Date of birth
  • Nationality
  • Access, health or dietary requirements
  • information gathered via the application process such as that entered into a CV or included in a CV cover letter
  • details on your career and education history
  • Passport information or birth certificate
  • Any other information you provide to us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person
  • Anonymous information including demographic information you provide via surveys

Special categories of data

Some of the information that you give us, due to its nature, has more potential to cause harm if not handled correctly. “Special category data” is specific personal data that is often sensitive in nature and must be treated with extra care. The sensitive personal data we collect and hold about you may include:

  • Disability and long-term health conditions
  • sexual orientation
  • ethnicity
  • religion

We carry out processing activities using special category data:

  1. for the purposes of equal opportunities monitoring
  2. to determine reasonable adjustments

Most commonly, we will process special categories of data when the following applies:

  1. you have given explicit consent to the processing
  2. we must process the data in order to carry out our legal obligations
  3. we must process data for reasons of substantial public interest
  4. you have already made the data public.

We sometimes request sensitive personal data in our applicant and participant surveys, in order to assist us with our diversity monitoring, which we are required to report on as part of our funding. This data is not obligatory to provide, is analysed anonymously, and not linked to individual data subject records.

Previous Competitions

  • Annual Music Competition Results 2025
    • Gold Medal Final – Wigmore Hall – First prize and Gold Medal winner: Ewan Millar oboe
    • Brass, Wind and Percussion
      • Section winner – Ewan Millar oboe
      • Phillip Jones Memorial Prize for an outstanding brass player – Meggie Murphy trombone
    • Singers
      • Section winner – Madeleine Perring soprano
      • Audrey Strange Memorial Prize – Michael Lafferty tenor
    •  Keyboard
      • Section winner – Rafael Kyrychenko piano
      • Kerr Memorial Prize – Joseph Howson piano
    • Strings
      • Section winner – Mabelle Park violin
      • Len Lickorish Memorial Prize – Hugh Mackay cello 
    • Strings and Keyboard Ensembles
      • Section winner – Regency String Quartet
      • Richmond Concert Society Prize – Duo StriAgo
    • Mixed Ensembles
      • Section winner – Delphine Trio
    • Other Awards
      • ROSL Award for Collaborative Piano: Julian Chan piano
      • Lorna Viol Memorial Prize for the Most Outstanding Musician from Overseas – Qden Blaauw piano (South Africa)
      • Tait Memorial Prize for an outstanding Australian Musician: Jackie Wong violin (Australia)
      • ROSL Award for an Outstanding Musician from Hong Kong: Sherri Lun piano (Hong Kong)
      • Phillip Crawshaw Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Overseas Musician: Alvin Wong saxophone (Hong Kong)

Catch up on all the action here:

  • Annual Music Competition Results 2024
    • Gold Medal Final – Wigmore Hall – First prize and Gold Medal winner: Dafydd Jones tenor
    • Brass, Wind and Percussion
      • Section winner – Daniel Shao flute
    • Singers
      • Section winner – Dafydd Jones tenor
    •  Keyboard
      • Section winner – Ignas Maknickas piano
      • Kerr Memorial Prize – Amiri Harewood piano
    • Strings
      • Section winner – Jordan Brooks violin
    • Strings and Keyboard Ensembles
      • Section winner – Trio Archai
      • Richmond Concert Society Prize – Kyan Quartet
    • Mixed Ensembles
      • Section winner – Apollo’s Cabinet
      • Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble Award – KamBrass Quintet
    • Other Awards
      • ROSL Award for Collaborative Piano: Francesca Lauri piano
      • Lorna Viol Memorial Prize for the Most Outstanding Musician from Overseas – Jordan Brooks violin (South Africa)
      • Phillip Crawshaw Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Overseas Musician: Aida Lahlou piano (Antigua and Barbuda)
      • Kerr Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Overseas Musician: Bridget Yee piano (Malaysia)
      • ROSL Award for an Outstanding Canadian Musician: Bridget Eisler soprano (Canada)
  • Annual Music Competition Results 2023
    • Gold Medal Final – Wigmore Hall – First prize and Gold Medal winner: Emile Souvagie clarinet
    • Brass, Wind and Percussion
      • Section winner – Emile Souvagie clarinet
      • Phillip Jones Memorial Prize for an outstanding brass player – James Blackford euphonium
      • Sussex Prize for woodwind – Lewis Banks saxophone and Meera Maharaj flute
    • Singers
      • Section winner – Annabel Kennedy mezzo soprano
      • Audrey Strange Memorial Prize – Madeline Boreham soprano
    •  Keyboard
      • Section winner – Bocheng Wang piano
      • Kerr Memorial Prize – Gabriele Strata piano
    • Strings
      • Section winner – Gerard Flotats cello
      • Yorke Trust Double Bass Prize – Will Duerden double bass
    • Strings and Keyboard Ensembles
      • Section winner – Fibonacci Quartet
    • Mixed Ensembles
      • Section winner – Lumas Winds
    • Other Awards
      • ROSL Award for Collaborative Piano: Emily Hoh piano
      • Lorna Viol Memorial Prize for the Most Outstanding Musician from Overseas – James Blackford euphonium (Australia)
      • Tait Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Australian/New Zealand Musician: Madison Horman soprano (New Zealand)
      • Kerr Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Overseas Musician: Hao Zi Yoh piano (Malaysia)
      • ROSL Award for an Outstanding Canadian Musician: Spencer Klymyshyn piano (Canada)
  • Annual Music Competition Results 2022
    • Gold Medal Final – Wigmore Hall – First prize and Gold Medal winner: Jack Hancher guitar
    • Brass, Wind and Percussion
      • Section winner – Daniel Scott recorder
      • Phillip Jones Memorial Prize for an outstanding brass player – Aaron Akugbo trumpet
      • Sussex Prize for woodwind – Lewis Graham clarinet 
    • Singers
      • Section winner – James Atkinson baritone
    •  Keyboard
      • Section winner – George Todică piano
    • Strings
      • Section winner – Jack Hancher guitar
      • Len Lickorish Memorial Prize – Krystof Kohout violin, Madeleine Pickering violin, Toby Cook viola
    • Strings and Keyboard Ensembles
      • Section winner – Paddington Trio
    • Mixed Ensembles
      • Section winner – Connaught Brass
    • Other Awards
      • Lorna Viol Memorial Prize for the Most Outstanding Musician from Overseas – Cassandra Wright soprano (Australia)
      • Tait Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Australian/New Zealand Musician: Siyu Sun piano (New Zealand)
      • ROSL Award for an Australian Musician of Promise: Emmalena Huning violin (Australia)
      • ROSL Award for a New Zealand Musician of Promise: Madison Horman soprano (New Zealand)
Contact Us

For further information about our ROSL Annual Music Competition, applications and tickets, please contact our Arts team:

roslarts@rosl.org.uk

ROSL means so much more than picking up a prize and winning a handful of competitions. It is like joining a new family. Twelve years on and we are still collaborating.

Ashley Fripp, Keyboard Prize Winner

“I really can’t thank ROSL enough for giving me these wonderful opportunities. It’s been amazing to have your constant support and always pushing and believing in me even when I didn’t. I owe so much of my career to ROSL – for all the opportunities to learn more about myself in each performance.”

Emily Sun, Violinist, Annual Music Competition Gold Medal Winner.