Founded in 2004, The Delius Prize was inaugurated with the purpose of introducing young musicians to the music of Delius. It was felt that the challenge of a prize competition held at a music academy would provide an encouragement to investigate this repertoire and to study it to a level suitable for public performance. This has proved to be the case, as well over 100 music students have entered the competition since its inception.

The Delius Prize is in two parts: a preliminary round, held in private at the music academy, and a public final. An eminent musician is invited to adjudicate the final event.

The Delius Prize 2026

ADJUDICATOR: STEPHEN BARLOW
Open to pianists, string and voice duos, and vocal or chamber ensembles who are current students of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the Delius Prize 2026 was held in Birmingham in February.

Three ensembles entered the competition, and all played in the final, which took place on Sunday 8 February. The Delius Society is enormously grateful to Stephen Barlow for adjudicating the final.

Entrants were required to prepare a programme of their own choice, lasting not more than 20 minutes, with at least 10 minutes of that being a complete work or works by Delius. The programme could also include a work or works (part or whole) by other composers who were contemporaries of Delius (1862-1934).

The programme of the public competition was as follows:

Zixin Wen piano

Faure: Nocturne No 6 in Db Op 63
Delius: Three Preludes
Delius: Six Piano Pieces

***

Sin-Yu Wang violin
Charles Matthews (staff) piano

Delius: Violin Sonata No 3

***

Joachim Lim piano
Keelan Carew piano

Delius, arr Fenby for two pianos: A Song of Summer
Ravel, arr for two pianos: La Valse
FIRST PRIZE (£1,500)

The annual Delius Prize competition was first held in 2004.  The first five competitions took place at the Royal Academy of Music in London.  The following five were held at the (former) Birmingham Conservatoire, apart from the 2012 event, which was national in scope and held as part of the Chetham’s School, Manchester, Delius Festival in October 2012.  The Delius Prize competition returned to the Royal Academy from 2015 to 2018, moving to Birmingham in 2022 back to RAM for 2024 and 2025, and in Birmingham in 2026. The 2027 Prize will be held in London.