John Gillam Young Composers' Competition 2027: Brass Band Scores Due 31 December, £900 Prize
A new work for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has opened the 2027 John Gillam Young Composers' Competition, named in memory of its long-time contributor John Gillam. The competition invites composers aged 30 or younger on 1 January 2027 to submit a newly written brass band piece lasting five minutes or less. The contest is internationally relevant, but applicants selected for the final workshop must be able to attend the UK event in person.
Deadline and essential submission conditions
Entries must arrive by 31 December 2026. A submitted piece must be original, unpublished and not previously performed in public. Scores should use standard British-style brass band instrumentation; applicants must provide both a clearly prepared PDF score and an MP3 audio file. The application also requires a short composer biography and a passport information-page scan or qualifying UK driving licence for identity and age verification. Uploads go through the organiser's form, which requires a Google account.
Workshop and performances in 2027
A judging panel selects three works to be explored with NYBBGB musicians at the Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham, on 16 May 2027. Each shortlisted composer receives a dedicated workshop before having the opportunity to revise the score. The winner is to be announced by 31 May, with the winning piece performed by the Youth Band at its summer concerts on 6 and 7 August 2027. The workshop attendance obligation is important for entrants outside the UK.
Prizes and rights
The winner receives £900 and a mentoring opportunity; the runner-up receives £300 and one-to-one coaching. Entering also entails consent to the NYBBGB filming and streaming performances of shortlisted music, with specific performance-recording rights reserved to the band. Review the original score ownership, recording terms and any travel costs before submitting—neither publication nor reimbursement for travel should be assumed.
Organiser and judging panel
NYBBGB is a long-established British youth brass-band institution with performances, education and commissions. The 2027 panel includes Errollyn Wallen CBE (Master of the King's Music), conductor Martyn Brabbins and brass-band composer and director Philip Harper. The band publicly documents past editions and performances, giving composers a checkable record of the competition's purpose and calibre.
Official regulations
Full call, score instrumentation and application form: https://www.nybbgb.org.uk/whats-on/competitions/young-composers-competition-2027/ . Organiser's announcement: https://www.nybbgb.org.uk/news/the-nybbgb-launches-john-gillam-young-composers-competition-2027/ .