After weeks of deliberation, ABC Classic has announced the 12 semifinalists who will progress to the live performance round of the ABC Young Performers Awards in August.

The prestigious competition has launched the careers of some of the most successful Australian musicians, including composer and violist Brett Dean, percussionist Claire Edwardes, violinist Emily Sun and most recently flautist Eliza Shephard.

The competition is open to solo instrumentalists aged 31 and under.

The youngest semifinalist in 2026 is just 13 years old.

Each applicant submitted a 40-minute performance video for the adjudication panel, including at least one piece of music by an Australian composer.

"We were impressed with the overall level of skill, talent, musicality and commitment from all applicants and the energy they brought to this important competition," says Marshall McGuire, the chair of the adjudication panel. 

"Competitors who stood out to the panel were bold and imaginative and had a range of repertoire which allowed them to present a full palette of [musical] styles."

The 12 semifinalists represent a wide range of instruments, including piano, violin, cello, flute, saxophone, guitar and percussion, and come from across NSW, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania.

They will each perform a live public solo recital in Sydney or Melbourne in August.

What the competition means for the musicians

For many of the competitors, the ABC Young Performers Awards offers a rare national platform, with musicians competing for a variety of reasons.

Pianist Dillon Chan, 13, says performing is about connection rather than competition.

"After some performances, people have come up to me and told me they were really moved, and a few of them have even come back to hear me play again," he says.

For saxophonist Alice Morgan from Sydney, it's a chance to showcase both her instrument and the Australian music she champions.

Morgan has collaborated with composers including Andrew Howes and Holly Harrison, who have written music "with me as the performer in mind."

Classical guitarist Connor Whyte from ACT is hoping to record his first album, while Beatrice Colombis and cellist Charlotte Miles are already forging international careers in Australia and Europe.

Only three finalists will get the chance to compete for a cash prize, and will appear as soloists with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a televised performance at the Sydney Opera House in November.

Semifinalists in the 2026 ABC Young Performers Awards

• Alice Morgan (saxophone, NSW)
• Beatrice Colombis (violin, NSW)
• Buddy Lovett (percussion, VIC)
• Charlotte Miles (cello, VIC)
• Connor Whyte (classical guitar, ACT)
• Dillon Chan (piano, VIC)
• Dindin Jingyi Wang (violin, VIC)
• Joshua Han (piano, NSW)
• Lily Bryant (flute, NSW)
• Maggie Wang (cello, VIC)
• Sheng-Yuan Lynch (piano, TAS)
• Tom Lowe (saxophone, VIC)

You can find out more about each semifinalist on the ABC Classic website.

Watch the ABC Young Performers Awards semifinals

The solo recitals in August are open to the public, so you can support the ABC Young Performers Awards semifinalists directly.

• Tuesday, 11th August in Sydney (Eugene Goossens Hall)
• Wednesday, 12th August in Melbourne (Iwaki Auditorium)
• Thursday, 13th August in Melbourne (Iwaki Auditorium)

On each day, there will be a recital at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm.

Tickets are $10 per recital via the ABC Classic website.

If you can't make it in person, recitals will be broadcast on ABC Classic later in the year.

The Grand Final performance will take place on November 3 at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, with each of the three grand finalists performing a concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The concert will also be broadcast on ABC TV and ABC Classic.

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