Join the Young Composers’ Competition
Nothing beats composing your own music and performing it with great musicians! There are barely any rules with the NBE annual young composers' competition On the way to the New Year's Concert. Everything is allowed, as long as you have come up with it yourself. So whether you rap, play cello or are a singer-songwriter, you have the chance to perform together with the NBE on January 1st on the stage of Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, broadcasted on tv by BNNVARA!
Every year, dozens of talented young composers from all over the country apply. Are you joining this year? On this page you can read more about the 2024 young composers' competition, take a look at the flyer and sign up right away.
On the Way to the New Year’s Concert is the composition competition of the NBE and BNNVARA for everyone up to 18 years old. Every year, dozens of young composers participate with their own unique pieces. Whether you make pop music, classical, or electronic: all styles are welcome. The competition has proven to be a springboard for many serious composing talents in the Netherlands and results in beautiful new compositions every year. Participants are guided from the showcases in October, through the Composer’s Weekend, the Finale, and of course the New Year’s Concert where the winners perform together with the NBE.
In a world where people sometimes seem to be deeply divided, music as a connecting factor is indispensable. How do you celebrate the differences that make us so beautiful and interesting? How would you bring people together? Make a song about it, a beat, a soundscape. In any style: metal, reggaeton, jazz, classical, pop – whatever you like. Bring the world together and let your voice be heard!
You can write a piece for:
- your own instrument/voice
- your band or other own music group
- the jongNBE, possibly with yourself (in this case, make sure to send the sheet music, the score and the different parts)
In addition, the following applies:
- your piece has a maximum duration of 4 minutes
- you are not older than 18 years
Questions? Ask them via componeren@nbe.nl.
How does it work?
The young composers’ competition consists of multiple rounds: the selection, the Showcases, the Composer’s Weekend, the Finale and the New Year’s Concert.
Participants can submit their compositions until September 30. All compositions will be listened to and evaluated by an expert jury of NBE musicians and composers. The main criteria are originality and quality. A maximum of 15 pieces per region (north, east, south, west) will be selected to advance to the regional Showcases.
If your composition is selected, you will be invited to perform your piece during the regional Showcases. You can perform alone, with friends, or, if you have written a piece for (members of) jongNBE, together with these musicians! A jury consisting of NBE musicians, composers, arrangers, and a previous winner of the composition competition will choose six winners who will advance to the next round. Selection criteria: the New Year's Concert is a mix of styles, and we want to see this mix in the music of young composers as well. Therefore, when choosing the winners, in addition to originality and quality of the composition, we also consider diversity in terms of music style, age, gender, and presentation.
During this Composer's Weekend, all 24 composers and NBE musicians come together. They rehearse, learn, listen, and eat together during the day, and each evening there is a concert performance for the public. After each concert, 5 composers are chosen who are guaranteed a spot in the Finale! Additionally, there are two 'wildcards' available, which will be awarded at the end of the weekend. Therefore, after this weekend, we will know which 12 participants will advance to the Finale!
During the Finale the young composers compete for a spot in the New Year's Concert. They are the top of young composing talent in the Netherlands. Three of them will be chosen to perform their piece with the NBE during the New Year's Concert at the Concertgebouw.
The winners of the young composers' competition are the heroes of the New Year's Concert 2025. The New Year's Concert is performed once on December 31 and twice on January 1 in the Main Hall of Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and is broadcasted on tv on January 1 by BNNVARA.
SECOND ROUND: SHOWCASES
TH 17 OCT 2024 Factorium, Tilburg
SA 19 OCT 2024 VRIJDAG, Groningen
SU 20 OCT 2024 Cultuur19, Utrecht
THIRD ROUND: COMPOSER'S WEEKEND
SA 14 & SU 15 DEC 2024 Akoesticum, Ede
FOURTH ROUND: FINALE
SU 22 DEC 2024 TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht
NEW YEAR'S CONCERT
TU 31 DEC 2024 & WED 1 JAN 2025 Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Every year, you can vote for your favorite young composer! All participants of the young composers’ competition On the Way to the New Year’s Concert have a chance to win the Audience Award. Until December 16th, you can let us know which compositions are your favorites. The winner will be announced during The Finale and will receive tickets to the New Year’s Concert and a surprise package.
If you create your own music and want to take it further, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about it. You will be guided by composers/arrangers who can give you valuable advice to develop your skills in music. You’ll also meet other young musicians, gain stage experience, and of course, have the chance to win the Audience Award and the grand prize: performing on stage with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam!
During the competition, the young composers will be guided by the following composers/arrangers: Arjan Linker (west), Sjors Dijkstra (north), Frank van Nus (east), Hans Barkel (east), Arno ter Burg (south), Sylvia Maessen (west).
On the way to the New Year’s Concert is organised by the NBE in collaboration with BNNVARA and many others: Factorium Tilburg, VRIJDAG Groningen, Cultuur19 Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg Utrecht and Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
