What we do
Music for Youth Festival
The Music for Youth Festival is a collection of regional festivals across the UK aimed to inspire musicians at every level of experience and across every genre of music. This collection of regional festivals forms the UK’s largest festival for young musicians. 30,000 musicians take part every year and many go on to perform again at the Music for Youth National Festival and Music for Youth Proms.
Regional festivals provide opportunities for young musicians aged 21 or under, in a group of two or more, to perform and receive feedback from our professional Music Mentors. Performances take place in church halls, community centres, and schools, all across the country.
National Festival
The National Festival is a coming together of musicians, bands and ensembles from across the regions to perform on world-class stages including Symphony Hall, Town Hall, and the CBSO Centre. It is a key date in the Music for Youth calendar, hosted by the city of Birmingham in July.
Over 12,000 young musicians aged 4-21 from across the UK take part, featuring all styles, instruments and genres of music. Audience members are encouraged to watch performances throughout the day.
The National Festival shines a spotlight on the creativity and talents of young musicians and creates an atmosphere where ‘everyone’s a headliner.’ The festival supports the next generation of talented young musicians and gives them unforgettable performance opportunities on world-class stages.
Group Performances
During the festival, there are three sessions (morning, afternoon, and early evening) in each venue, where groups perform in front of each other and an audience, and professional Music Mentors provide feedback to each performance group. Our Music Mentors are the ‘eyes and ears’ of Music for Youth, feeding back on performance standards at every level, making recommendations for progression opportunities within our calendar, giving expert advice, and contributing to the development of specific programmes and resources. In 2023, we were pleased to offer Mentors at every venue, including the Fringe stages, with progression routes through the MFY season equal to those performing on a ‘main stage’. This reflects our commitment to total inclusivity, opening up participation opportunities to those who wouldn’t normally be involved in our programme.
As well as performance sessions, there are many other ways to get involved including workshops, masterclasses and interactive, educational concerts and the whole festival is open to the public.
Primary Live
Primary Live is an hour-long interactive concert aimed at primary school children in KS1 and KS2, with a variety of performances by young people, for young people. The concert is led by a professional animatuer and presenter and resources are provided to schools in advance to support their experience in the classroom. As with all Music for Youth events, the concert is free to attend.
Workshops
Join us at one of our free world-class workshops – these are inspiring, practical sessions to build skills in an interactive environment, led by music industry experts. Anyone under the age of 21 can sign-up for free, whether you are a Music for Youth group or hub, or a member of the public. The workshops take place alongside the performance programme and are appropriate for a wide range of ages, abilities, and genres.
Past workshop leaders have included jazz pianist, performer and composer, Pete Latanka, The Royal Welsh College of Music and National Youth Choir.
Proms
The Music for Youth Proms takes place at the renowned Royal Albert Hall in London. This two-day showcase celebrates the incredible talent and creativity of young musicians from all corners of the UK. From orchestral ensembles to choirs, bands, soloists, and more, these talented young performers get the unique opportunity to showcase their skills and share their music with a wider audience.
A Platform for Young Musicians
The Proms provides a professionally produced platform for young musicians to shine, regardless of their musical genre or background.
A Diverse Range of Performances
From classical orchestral pieces to contemporary pop and rock tunes, there is something for everyone and The Proms showcases the incredible versatility and diversity of young musicians.
Encouraging and Supporting Young Musicians
The Proms plays a vital role in encouraging and supporting young musicians in their artistic journey. By providing them with the opportunity to perform in a prestigious venue like the Royal Albert Hall, young people gain valuable experience and exposure. It helps nurture their confidence and inspires them to reach even greater heights in their musical journeys.
Considered one of the most celebrated music events for young musicians, the Music for Youth Proms sets the stage for extraordinary performances and memorable experiences. One of the highlights of the event is the massed ensemble, where thousands of musicians come together to perform the same piece under the guidance of professional musicians.
Exciting Collaborations and New Music Commissions
The Proms provides a platform for exciting collaborations and new music commissions. Some of the best young producers, composers, and musicians from across the country come together to create innovative and captivating pieces of music. We support young musicians to test bold new ideas and to push the boundaries of musical creativity by working with artists or bands from different genres.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Musicians
The Music for Youth Proms inspires and ignites a passion for music in the hearts and minds of young people and serves as a reminder that age is no barrier to success and that hard work and dedication can lead to extraordinary achievements.
Frequencies is an agency for young people and exists to help anyone who wants a future in music.
Onstage, behind the scenes, playing, making, producing. We’re here to get you there.
MFY Invites
MFY Invites provides young musicians, who have participated in the MFY annual programme, the opportunity to perform at high-profile events that are hosted by our major sponsors, including the TUC annual Congress and the NEU conference. The MFY Invites programme is by invitation only.
Related Qualification
Arts Award
The Arts Award is a framework developed by Arts Council England to help young people learn new skills and share them. Taking part in Music for Youth activity enables pupils to take part in the Discover, Explore and Bronze award levels. Employers, universities and colleges know that Arts Award is a qualification that shows young people’s level of commitment and progress in the arts, and in developing new skills.
