The Gold Medal 2026

The final of Guildhall School’s most prestigious music prize returns to the Barbican Hall, presenting three outstanding instrumentalists in concerto performances with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by alumnus Jonathan Bloxham.

Guildhall School’s premier music prize was founded in 1915 and since the 1950s it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. In 2026, the instrumentalists take centre stage, and the finalists are: Milen Earath (piano), Cyrus Yuen (violin) and Caroline Durham (violin).  Previous winners of the Gold Medal include Jacqueline du Pré OBE (1960), Tasmin Little CBE (1986), and Sir Bryn Terfel CBE (1989).

On Thursday 30 April, each finalist will perform a concerto, accompanied by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, in front of an audience in Barbican Hall. Milen Earath performs Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2; Cyrus Yuen performs Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No 1; and Caroline Durham performs Bartók’s Violin Concerto No 2.

The evening concludes with adjudication by a distinguished jury drawn from across the international music profession and the announcement of the 2026 Gold Medallist. This year’s judges include composer and Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen CBE, Joint Head of Artist Management for Intermusica New York, Aimee Chow, Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Bill Chandler, and Guildhall School’s Vice-Principal & Director of Music Armin Zanner. 

Online booking for this event opens at 10am on Tuesday 10 Mar 2026.