History

The Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition was originally part of the Bromsgrove Festival which was started in 1960 by Joe Stones, a violinist and founder of the Bromsgrove String Orchestra. In 1980 its new Chairman, Dr Mary White, on the advice of the Festival’s Artistic Director, Dr Donald Hunt, added a competition for young musicians to the programme, giving an opportunity for talented young musicians to perform publicly. She invited Joyce Messenger, a well-known local musician and music lecturer to run the competition and she in turn recruited Peter Ward to assist her. Known then as the International Platform, it was held annually from April 1981, at first in the Bromsgrove College Hall and latterly at the New Guesten Hall in the Avoncroft Museum of Buildings in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
The Competition has been well-served by many distinguished adjudicators, including Richard Butt of the BBC, Sir John Manduell, then Principal of the Northern College of Music, Sir Philip Ledger, Edmond Fivet, Meurig Bowen, Roddy Williams, George Caird, Chris Glynn and Sarah Bruce.
In 2013, the competition became a separate entity from the Bromsgrove Festival with Bromsgrove School generously providing a new concert venue and accommodation for competitors and adjudicators.
Under the chairmanship of His Honour Ian Morris, in 2016 the competition was rebranded as the Bromsgrove International Musicians’ Competition and is a registered charity with a board of trustees. The same year, the Bromsgrove Young Musicians’ Platform was introduced, with the aim of giving opportunities to younger musicians still at school.
Today, ‘The Bromsgrove’ is held biennially and continues to attract many of the finest young classical musicians. The Young Musicians’ Platform has grown considerably and bringing school-age performers from throughout the UK.
The competition trustees are also very keen to support school-age musicians from all backgrounds and levels of ability. To this end, we are working with the English String Orchestra to support its well-known and successful youth courses.