BBC Young Musician - Season 6 / Year 2018

As BBC Young Musician begins its 40th anniversary series, Josie d'Arby is joined by Alison Balsom, herself a finalist in 1998, to present highlights from the first of this year's category finals.

Filmed in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's brand new concert hall, the programme introduces us to the five strings finalists, takes us behind the scenes to find out what it takes to compete at this level and features extensive highlights of each of the finalist's performances.

Percussionist Joby Burgess joins Josie d'Arby as the competition continues with the multi-instrumentalists in the percussion category final of BBC Young Musician 2018.

Since it was first held in 1978, BBC Young Musician has showcased the UK's brightest and best musical talent. The young musicians in the percussion category hoping to earn a place in the overall semi-final are: 18-year-old Tom Hall; Toril Azzalini-Machecler from Horsham who is 16; from Devon, 17-year-old Meadow Brooks; 15-year-old Alexander Pullen; and 17-year-old Matthew Brett from Crewe, a category finalist from two years ago.

The five finalists need to impress the panel of judges: chair of the jury composer Kerry Andrew is joined by Bulgarian-born Daniella Ganeva, a pioneer of solo percussion and one of the finest marimba artists of our time, and Owen Gunnell, a BBC Young Musician finalist who has gone on to have a successful and varied career with performances all over the world.

With extensive performance highlights, the programme goes behind the scenes as the five finalists bring modern repertoire to life on stage at the brand new concert hall in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. There's even a world premiere with a piece by British composer Jan Bradley especially for one of tonight's competitors.

With two places in the semi-final already decided, it's the turn of the woodwind players to take centre stage. Josie d'Arby is joined by bassoonist Amy Harman at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire to bring highlights from the BBC Young Musician 2018 woodwind final. Five outstanding musicians have been selected, playing an array of instruments - saxophonist Robert Burton, flautist Marie Sato; bassoonist Francis Bushell, recorder player Eliza Haskins and clarinettist Tom Myles. They perform music from the Baroque period to the 21st century by composers such as Corelli, Faure and Gershwin. They perform in front of an expert panel of judges: clarinettist Emma Johnson, flautist Juliette Bausor and composer, performer and writer, Kerry Andrew. They will decide who will win the woodwind final and proceed through to the semi-final. The programme includes profiles of the competitors, extensive highlights of their performances together with the behind-the-scenes story of the competition.

Coverage of the brass category final. Josie d'Arby is at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and is joined by euphonium soloist David Childs, himself a finalist in the competition in 2000. This year's finalists are: trombonist Isobel Daws, who studies in Manchester; Will Thomas, who plays trumpet and flugelhorn and comes from London; bass trombonist Michaias Berlouis, a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London; Annemarie Federle, a French horn player from Cambridge; and Sam Dye, a trombonist studying in London. The programme introduces us to the finalists, takes us behind the scenes and presents extended highlights of the performances. On the judging panel are two distinguished figures from the brass playing community: Simon Cowen, principal trombonist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and Simon Cox, trumpeter, arranger and publisher. They join composer, performer and writer Kerry Andrew.

Five exceptional young pianists are hoping to impress as they attempt to win the keyboard category and take the last remaining place in this year's BBC Young Musician semi-final. Filmed at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, presenter Josie d'Arby is joined by pianist Lucy Parham, herself a former Young Musician finalist, who provides expert analysis of each performance.

The search for the next BBC Young Musician reaches its penultimate stage as the category winners from strings, percussion, woodwind, brass and keyboards compete for three places in Sunday's grand final. Josie D'Arby is joined by acclaimed violinist Nicola Benedetti, BBC Young Musician Winner in 2004, and world-famous trumpeter Alison Balsom, artistic director of the Cheltenham Festival, who won the Brass Category in 1998.

The category winners competing in the semi-final are: Matthew Brett, a 17-year-old percussionist from Cheshire, Maxim Calver, 18, who plays the cello and studies at Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, and Robert Burton, an 18-year-old saxophonist who is a first-year student at the Royal Academy of Music. They will be joined by the winners of the brass and keyboard category finals.

After a series of thrilling category finals and semi-final, BBC Young Musician 2018 reaches its conclusion. Now only three musicians remain.

This year Symphony Hall in Birmingham plays host to the grand final, when these exceptional young finalists will perform a full concerto with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the celebrated British conductor Mark Wigglesworth.

Clemency Burton-Hill and trumpet player Alison Balsom - herself a finalist in 1998 - join Josie d'Arby to present full coverage of what's sure to be a breath-taking finale to this year's competition. And that's not all - cellist of the moment Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who won the title in 2016, returns to perform the last movement of the Elgar Cello Concerto.

So who will follow in Sheku's footsteps and become BBC Young Musician 2018 in the competition's 40th anniversary year? Tune in to BBC Four for every note - it's not to be missed!

From the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Josie d'Arby is joined by YolanDa Brown to present the final of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2018.