National Percussion Solo Competition and Workshop 2026
- 10am-4pm (doors open 9.30am)
Tickets
About this event:
- Category:
- Guildhall Young Artists
- Event type:
- Booking required | In-person
- Admission:
- £30 (+ booking fee) £20 (+ booking fee) if you attend a Guildhall Young Artist centre Or pay what you can (+booking fee)
Event information
Join Guildhall Young Artists for the National Percussion Competition and Workshop – a day for instrumentalists aged 9-18, playing any percussion instruments, and of ABRSM Grade 3 standard and above.
This event offers young percussionists the opportunity to perform to an all-star panel of adjudicators as part of the National Percussion Solo Competitions.
Students will also get the chance to participate in workshops throughout the day, culminating in a group performance. Friends and family are invited to attend the Results and Prize Giving Ceremony at 3pm in Milton Court Concert Hall (no booking required).
Guildhall Young Artists National Percussion Competition in Association with Southern Percussion.
Sign up to take part
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Event Details
Event Overview:
Date: Sunday 19 April 2026
Time: 10am–4pm
Venue: Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Silk Street, Barbican EC2Y 8DT
This event offers students the opportunity to participate in both a competition and a workshop. Students are encouraged to engage in both activities, although participation in the workshop without competing is also an option. Attendees are expected to listen to and support participants in their category.
- Age: Students aged 9 to 18 (gap year students aged 19 are also eligible). Age is determined as of 31 August 2025.
- Minimum Standard: Grade 3
- Closing Date: Booking closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026 or earlier if capacity is reached.
Sign Up Here: Guildhall Young Artists Sign-Up
Please note:
- Spaces are limited to 20 participants per category. Early booking is recommended as categories will close once full.
- Families booking for multiple students must sign up one child at a time, using the ‘Continue Shopping’ option at checkout to add further students.
Percussion
- Class A - School Year 9 and under
- Class B - School Year 10 - 11
- Class C - School Years 12–14 (including Gap Year students)
- Time Limits: Candidates must prepare one or more pieces, provided their total performance does not exceed the time limits listed below. These timings are inclusive of any movement between instruments/pieces: Class A - 5 mins, Class B - 8 mins, Class C - 10 mins.
- No changes to repertoire will be allowed after 10th April 2026.
- Multi-percussion Setup: If applicable, students must provide a setup sketch with their name in block capitals (to be submitted before the event).
- Equipment Provided:
- 5-octave marimba
- Vibraphone
- Xylophone
- 5-piece drum kit with two crash cymbals
- Multi-setup including 4 concert toms, 2 bongos, 1 concert snare and 2 suspended crash cymbals
NB: You can use any combination of the multi-setup (e.g. from a snare drum only to a combination any the above listed instruments).
A piano will be available for any piece that requires accompaniment. You will be required to provide your own accompanist.
If further instruments are required, you will be responsible for providing that instrument as well as set-up/pack down.
Each category will have the following awards:
- 1st Prize: Trophy, Medal, Certificate.
- 2 x Highly Commended Awards: Medal, Certificate.
- Percussion: Southern Percussion will select the most promising player in each class. (The most promising player will not include one of the prize winners).
- All participants will receive a certificate of participation.
The adjudicator(s) decision will be final.
Percussion prize winners may also be awarded the opportunity to perform at the RCM Festival of Percussion on Sunday 10th May 2026. Therefore, participants must keep this full day free so that they are available to perform should they be asked.
Students will participate in workshops throughout the day, culminating in a group performance. Friends and family are invited to attend the Results and Prize Giving Ceremony at 3pm in Milton Court Concert Hall. The ceremony will include:
- Results announcement and prize distribution.
- A group performance by all students.
- Short performances by adjudicators.
Percussion adjudicators: Richard Benjafield, Sacha Johnson and Katy Elman.
Additional teaching and adjudication will be provided by inspiring Guildhall School teachers. Please note that adjudicators may be subject to change.
- Phil Parker Ltd: Brass specialist shop
- Southern Percussion: Percussionists’ go-to shop
- £30 (£30 + £2.52 booking fee) for students not in a GYA centre or ensemble
- £20 (£20 + £1.68 booking fee) for GYA students
- Pay What You Can (+ £1.68 booking fee). To ensure inclusivity, financial barriers should not prevent participation.
Percussion Participants: If playing a multi-percussion piece, you will be asked to upload a setup sketch with your name in block capitals.
Students in Year 6 or below - parents of students in Year 6 or below must confirm on the booking form that they agree to remain onsite throughout the duration of the Workshop and Competition. Parents of students in Year 7 or above should select N/A.
Students in Year 7 or above - parents must tell us (via the booking form) that they consent to their child leaving Guildhall School premises unattended for breaks and at the end of the day. Students for whom consent is not given will not be permitted to leave the site without a parent present for collection.
For any questions, please contact:
- Beth Thomas (Project Manager) – Beth.Thomas@gsmd.ac.uk
- Spencer Down (Creative Director) – Spencer.Down@gsmd.ac.uk
General Information
- There are a limited number of places available and inclusion in the competition cannot be guaranteed. Selection will be on a first come first served basis for each Class. A full refund will be given to candidates who are not offered a place in the competition.
- Incomplete application forms will be considered invalid, and the candidate will not be allowed to participate in the competition.
- There will be a warm-up room available on the day of the competition.
- Candidates must supply their own accompanist and any backing track sent prior to the event.
- Copies of pieces to be performed must be provided for the adjudicators.
- Performance presentation will be taken into consideration and there is preference for pieces to be announced for the older categories.
- The adjudicators reserve the right to stop any performance that runs over the time limits stated above.
- By entering the competition students are agreeing to abide by the rules and details outlined above.
- No unofficial photographs may be taken and no recordings of performances may be made.
Venue information
Silk Street Theatre, Music Hall and Lecture Recital Room are located in the main Guildhall School building on Silk Street and for Barbican produced events the venue can also be accessed from the Barbican if you exit via the doors next to Barbican Kitchen on Level G.
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Silk Street
Barbican
EC2Y 8DT
