Young musicians invited to enter the 2026 East Midlands Music Festival
Budding young musicians from across the region are being encouraged to take part in the East Midlands Music Festival, which will take place at Loughborough Schools Foundation over the weekend of 7–8 February 2026.
The festival, organised by the Foundation’s Music School, offers a fantastic opportunity for instrumentalists of all ages and abilities to perform, learn and grow in a relaxed and encouraging environment. It is open to all young musicians from across the East Midlands, wherever they learn their instrument and whatever their level of experience.
The festival features competitions across brass, piano, percussion, strings, singing and woodwind, organised by age group: Year 6 and under, Year 7–10 and Year 11–13.
Every participant will receive expert individual feedback, and prizes will be awarded in each category, making this both a valuable developmental experience and a celebration of musical talent across the East Midlands.
Nicky Bouckley, Director of Music at Loughborough Schools Foundation said: “The East Midlands Music Festival is about supporting young musicians of all ages and abilities, whatever their instrument of choice may be. Whether you’ve just started learning or have been playing for years, this is a friendly and inspiring way to gain performing experience and share your music with others.”
Entries are now open and must be submitted online via the East Midlands Music Festival website by 16:00 on Friday 16 January 2026. To submit an entry, please visit lsf.org/east-midlands-music-festival
For further information or queries about the festival, please contact Loughborough Schools Foundation Music Office on [email protected].