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BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician of the Year 2026

Finn Mannion (Cello) has been named winner of BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician 2026.

The Grand Final brought three outstanding classical musicians to Glasgow’s City Halls, where they performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and competed for the coveted title of BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician of the Year.

Cellist Finn Mannion (24) is from Crieff and started playing both the cello and bagpipes at age seven. He is completing his Masters in Music Performance at Basel Academy of Music in Switzerland.

Finn impressed the judges with a breathtaking performance of Dvořák: Cello Concerto Movement 1, Allegro.

Listen to the 2026 Grand Final on Sounds

The three finalists

Pianist Anastasia-Maria Barbu, who began her studies at the age of eight in her hometown of Brasov, Romania. She is now in her final undergraduate year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Oboist Alasdair Cottee is from East Lothian and studies at the Royal Conservatoire Junior Department, is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and currently serves as Principal Oboe of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Cellist Finn Mannion is from Crieff and is completing his Masters in Music Performance at Basel Academy of Music in Switzerland.

Grand Final

City Halls, Glasgow on the 30 May 2026. Three finalists performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in front of a live audience and panel of judges.

Semi-Final

A panel selected a maximum of 9 players to perform in the semi-finals at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, to an audience of friends and family.

The nine semi-finalists comprise of:

Yenglik Karassartova
Lucy Rowan
Shakira Segalla-Humbert
Anastasia-Maria Barbu
Viktor Seifert
Alasdair Cottee
Alexandru-Stefan Placinta
Cliodhna Scott
Finn Mannion

Prizes

The winner will be awarded the title of ‘BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician 2026’ and a performance on BBC Radio Scotland.

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