The annual Music for Youth National Festival will be performed on world-class stages at Symphony Hall, Town Hall and CBSO Centre, and tickets are free for the public to attend as a ‘welcome back’ gesture by organisers after a challenging couple of years for the arts.

This year’s theme is A Festival For All and will see performances from the best young musicians across jazz, brass, classical, folk, choral, pop, rock and everything in between. Every corner of the UK will be represented, from Truro to Glasgow and Newport to Sunderland.

A dedicated ‘takeover’ stage will be open for anyone under the age of 21 to apply to perform and there will be non-performance roles available, including event and marketing assistants, and workshops and panels with leading industry experts, including representatives from TikTok and Universal Music. Presenters Summaya Mughal and Robyn Richford will be hosting.

A highlight of the festival will be a showcase evening concert on Friday, July 8th at Town Hall to promote the level and breadth of music education across the UK. To support the celebration of live music, the festival will feature exciting new digital elements and live streams.

Phil Castang, CEO at Music for Youth, said: “This year’s National Festival really is a celebration of the joy of coming together again to perform and experience live music after a two-year absence due to the pandemic. Whether you are a long-standing partner of Music for Youth or a member of the community who has never engaged with the charity before, A Festival For All offers something for everyone. More than anything, it is about showcasing talented young musicians from across the UK.”

Kate Gardner, Director of Programmes at Music for Youth, added: “Our performers come from a variety of backgrounds and from schools, choirs and musical groups as well as solo artists. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to perform live in front of thousands of people and for music-lovers to see what amazing young talent is out there.”