BBC Young Composer Workshops 2026
Our free BBC Young Composer workshops will bring together young people aged 12 to 18 from across the UK, interested in creating their own original music.
Free BBC Young Composer workshops offer the opportunity for young people to create, collaborate and hone their music making skills together with support from experienced composers and musicians. Through a range of creative activities these workshops, provide a space to build confidence, try out new ideas, explore the joy of group music-making and be inspired from professionals working in the industry.
Who can attend?
These workshops are designed for young people aged 12-18 of all musical abilities, interested in any style or genre. You don't need to have any prior experience, just an interest in music making.
These workshops are designed for young people living in the local area, as follows:
• Middlesbrough and the wider North East of England - including County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and the Tees Valley
• Mold and surrounding North Wales counties - including Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham, Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy
• Bristol and the wider South West - including South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset and Gloucestershire
The Bristol workshop is open to all, but we are particularly encouraging girls who make their own music to take part, and the day will be tailored to support and empower them.
When and where are the workshops?
myplace, Middlesbrough - Thursday 23rd July, 10:30 - 16:30
This workshop will offer accessible music-making with the morning focusing on songwriting – exploring melodies, lyrics, chord sequences and grooves. The afternoon will introduce orchestral thinking by exploring how songwriting ideas can be developed and transformed with instrumentation.
Sign up for these events will open 10am Friday 15th May.
Bristol Beacon, Bristol - Saturday 8th August, 10:30 - 15:30
Facilitated by Charlotte Harding, composer of The Orchestra: A Young Person’s Guide, you’ll explore how accessibility, instrumentation and creative collaboration can shape and inspire your music.
The day will include opportunities to discover the work of exceptional women composers, hear about different career pathways and take part in an interactive Q&A about life in the music industry. You’ll also get hands-on experience in a group music-making session, guided by BBC Young Composer facilitators and musicians.
Sign up for these events will open 10am Friday 15th May.
Theatr Clwyd, Mold - Saturday 29th August, 10:00 - 15:30
This workshop invites you to explore how music, words and place come together to shape powerful stories. Working with artists and BBC musicians, you’ll devise a brand new piece of music inspired by themes of words and place. Throughout the day, you’ll explore how storytelling, community and location can spark musical ideas and guide the creative process through live instruments and creating a soundscape using technology.
The day will end with an informal sharing, giving you the chance to showcase what you’ve created. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments to compose and perform with.
Sign up for these events will open 10am Friday 15th May.
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Mae'r gweithdy hwn yn eich gwahodd i edrych ar sut y mae cerddoriaeth, geiriau a lleoliadau yn dod at ei gilydd i greu straeon pwerus.
Drwy weithio gydag artistiaid a cherddorion y BBC, byddwch yn creu darn newydd sbon o gerddoriaeth wedi’i ysbrydoli gan themâu fel geiriau a lleoliadau. Yn ystod y diwrnod, byddwch yn defnyddio offerynnau byw i edrych ar sut y gall straeon, cymunedau, a lleoliadau sbarduno syniadau cerddorol a llywio'r broses greadigol, ac yn defnyddio technoleg i greu seinwedd.
I ddod â'r diwrnod i ben byddwn yn cynnal sesiwn anffurfiol a fydd yn gyfle i rannu ac arddangos beth rydych chi wedi’i greu.
Rydym yn annog cyfranogwyr i ddod â’u hofferynnau eu hunain i’w defnyddio i gyfansoddi a pherfformio.
Bydd y cyfnod cofrestru ar gyfer y digwyddiadau hyn yn agor am 10am ddydd Gwener 15 Mai.
How to book
Participation is free but places are limited. Some places will be allocated through our partner venues and general public interest will be on a first come first served basis.
Booking will close on Monday 15th June.
