Announcing our Competitions 2024
We’re thrilled to announce that entry to our 2024 Competitions is open! Held annually, the Competitions are a chance for flute players to showcase their talent, receive feedback from top judges, connect with other musicians, and win brilliant prizes.
This year, they'll be held on Saturday 17 February at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
There are three competitive categories - School Performer, Young Performer and Young Artist - and a new non-competitive event for adult amateur players with ensemble playing, the chance to perform and receive feedback, and chat about all things flute!
In our 40th anniversary year, we’re hoping the day will be a fantastic celebration of fluting, with lots of great music to listen to and the opportunity for members to perform and gain valuable feedback from our expert adjudicators. There’ll also be lunchtime performances and trade stands with an array of flutes, accessories and sheet music. Judges and prizes will be announced shortly.
Financial aid is available for competitors who otherwise wouldn’t be able to enter - and if you'd like to support this, please consider donating to our Sponsor a Player scheme.
Entry will close on Sunday January 14 at 11:59pm GMT and this year, spaces per category are capped - so please book early to secure your place!
Categories
A. BFS School Performer
Performers aged 13 and under on 31 August 2024 and approximately Grade 5 or above in standard.
Total performance time allowed is 6 minutes (including breaks between movements/pieces). The performance can be shorter than this, but must not exceed this time.
Following the performances for this category, competitors will have the opportunity to have fun playing flute ensemble music together in a workshop led by the category adjudicators.
B. BFS Young Performer
Performers aged 14-18 on 31 August 2024 and approximately Grade 7/8 or above in standard.
Total performance time allowed is 7 minutes (including breaks between movements/pieces). The performance can be shorter than this, but must not exceed this time.
C. BFS Young Artist
Performers aged 19-24 on 31 August 2024 and Grade 8 or above in standard.
Total performance time allowed is 8 minutes (including breaks between movements/pieces). The performance can be shorter than this, but must not exceed this time.
Adult Amateur Flautists’ Workshop
This year, the Adult Amateur section of the Competitions will be non-competitive. Instead, we’re hosting an event for amateur players to come together, play flute ensemble music, and have the opportunity to perform to a friendly and supportive audience.
The Adult Amateur Flautists’ Workshop will include:
Ensemble playing
An optional opportunity to perform - either as an individual or with an ensemble you’re part of - and receive constructive feedback from our workshop leader, the fantastic Carla Rees - Professor of Low Flutes and Contemporary Flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Programme Leader at the Open College of the Arts
A chance for questions and discussion about all things flute!
It’s open to non-professional players of any standard aged 25 and over. While everyone who signs up will take part in the ensemble playing, performing is not compulsory - you can choose to watch, support and enjoy the performances instead if you’d like.
If you would like to perform, you can do so on your own, with an accompanist (we can provide you with a BFS accompanist to rehearse and perform with on the day), or if you’re already a member of a duo / trio / quartet / quintet, together as an ensemble.
For more details and to sign up, please visit our event page:
Rules
Please click the button below to download the Competitions Rules 2024 (PDF). Please read these carefully.
Entry Deadline
Entries will close at 11:59pm GMT on January 14 2024.
The deadline for applying for financial aid through our Sponsor A Player scheme (see below) is 11:59pm GMT on January 10 2024.
Entry Fees
All competitors must be a BFS member at the time of entry and on the day of the Competitions (17 February 2024). Individual membership is from £25 - £35 - to become a member, sign up via our Join Us page.
The entry fee for all categories is £35.
There is an additional fee for the use of the BFS official accompanist of £20 (which includes a short rehearsal on the day). You can book this when you enter by selecting the option on the entry form.
Financial Assistance
Through generous donations we are able to offer a financial aid scheme to competitors who otherwise wouldn’t be able to enter the competition this year.
To be considered for this, please send a short statement explaining why you need assistance and a reference from your current teacher to competitions[at]bfs.org.uk by 10 January 2024.
Unfortunately we won’t be able to consider anyone for financial aid after this deadline.
We will let candidates know the outcome of their financial aid application before the competition closing date (14 January 2024). Please wait to hear back from us before submitting your entry.
Sponsor a Player
Our financial aid scheme supports players who wouldn’t otherwise be able to enter the Competitions due to the entry fee (£35 plus cost of membership if not already a member). As a small charity, currently donations in the form of member subscriptions support our essential running costs, and so our ‘Sponsor a Player’ initiative helps us meet this additional need. To date, sponsors have funded the entry of 12 players. If you’d like to sponsor part or the whole cost of entry, please click below:
Prizes
1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes will be awarded for each category A, B and C.
A full list of prizes will be announced shortly, with prizes to include:
A Pearl 105E piccolo
1 year’s free membership to the Musician’s Answering Service
Vouchers from Wonderful Winds, Forton Music, Furore Verlag, Tetractys, June Emerson, All Flutes Plus and Just Flutes
Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize
Atarah’s Legacy Fund was established shortly before her death, according to her wishes to support the musical education of entrants to the annual BFS Competitions, through the award of one cash prize for a candidate of sufficient merit, musical integrity, and potential. Musical integrity is something Atarah particularly wished to encourage, so the panel will be looking for a core musicality, rather than a display of virtuosity. The BFS Council will be responsible for awarding the Prize each year, and the Prize will be available to the value of £500.
How to Enter
For full details of the Competitions 2024 and to register, please visit the Competitions homepage:
