Barnardo’s National Choir Competition 2027: UK Youth Choirs Apply by 27 November
Barnardo’s is accepting entries for its National Choir Competition 2027, inviting school and community choirs across the United Kingdom to perform music ranging from classical and gospel to folk, pop, musical theatre and contemporary arrangements. The deadline is Friday 27 November 2026. The national final takes place at Birmingham Symphony Hall on Tuesday 2 March 2027. This is a youth-choir event with an initial recording stage, not an open competition for adult professional choirs.
Junior and Senior categories: age is assessed on finals day
The Junior category is for choirs whose singers are no older than 13 on 2 March 2027. The Senior category includes singers up to and including 18 on the same date. A choir can have no more than 40 children. Groups need to check the ages of every planned singer rather than just the average age of their membership. Schools and community choirs from all parts of the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are encouraged to participate.
First round: two contrasting recordings
Applicants submit two pieces that show contrasting musical approaches. The organisers accept MP3 or video files and encourage straightforward recordings made on a phone or comparable device so that professional studio production does not determine the result. Send the recordings using WeTransfer to the contact named on the official page, clearly labelled with the choir’s name. Barnardo’s states that large recordings sent as ordinary email attachments may be rejected by its firewall. It is sensible to test the transfer and keep the confirmation.
How finalists are chosen
The judging panel selects 16 Junior choirs and 14 Senior choirs from the preliminary entries. The Junior grand final takes place during the day and the Senior competition during the evening at Birmingham Symphony Hall. The panel assesses vocal technique, musical excellence, ensemble unity, creativity and interpretation, stage presence and overall impact. Choirs do not have to sing only traditional choral repertoire; a well-rehearsed pop arrangement or musical-theatre programme can be judged alongside classical music.
Entry fee: £48 per choir
The competition charges £48 per choir. The published instructions require an entry form, payment and the two recordings to be received by 27 November. Entering the form without paying or transmitting usable recordings may leave an application incomplete. The amount is per choir, not per child, but travel, accommodation and any costs of preparing a live performance are separate matters to confirm with Barnardo’s. Families and schools should arrange permissions for children's participation and recordings.
Royal Albert Hall opportunity for Grand Prize winners
At the national final, awards recognise musical excellence, outstanding performance and creative interpretation, along with runner-up prizes. Grand Prize winners in the Junior and Senior categories are invited to perform at Barnardo’s Young Supporters’ Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 6 July 2027. That concert invitation is a performance opportunity rather than a stated cash award. Schools should discuss the additional summer date with participating families before making commitments.
How to prepare a strong choir entry
Choose two performances that reveal different strengths: perhaps contrasting tempo, language, texture or genre. Rehearse clear consonants, accurate ensemble entrances and an interpretation suitable for the singers' age. A steady and balanced recording that honestly captures the choir is more useful than aggressive audio processing. Before submission, download the current preliminary rules, check the maximum membership count and make sure the choir's named representative can receive email from the organisers.
Official entry and guidelines
Information checked 18 October 2026. The organiser’s current rules, recording instructions and confirmation message determine eligibility, repertoire and entry completion.