School and community choirs from across the UK are being invited to showcase their talent in Barnardo’s National Choir Competition 2027.
The competition will culminate in a Grand Final at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 2 March 2027, giving young singers the opportunity to perform at one of the country’s leading concert venues.
Choirs from a wide range of musical backgrounds can enter, including classical, musical theatre, gospel, folk and contemporary pop.
Two categories will be contested, with the Junior Choir competition open to singers aged 13 and under and the Senior Choir category for those aged 18 and under. Ages will be calculated as of 2 March 2027.
For the preliminary stage, each choir must submit recordings of two contrasting pieces.
Judges will select 16 Junior and 14 Senior choirs to progress to the Grand Final, where performances will be assessed on vocal and technical ability, musical excellence, ensemble performance, creativity and interpretation, and stage presence.
There will be another major opportunity for the winning choirs, with the Junior and Senior Grand Prize winners invited to perform at Barnardo’s Young Supporters’ Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 6 July 2027.
Barnardo’s said its 2026 competition brought together around 1,000 young performers from across the UK and raised more than £40,000 to support its work with children and young people.
Entry costs £48 per choir, with applications required by Friday 27 November 2026.
Schools and community groups with aspiring young performers now have the chance to compete for a place on the Symphony Hall stage before potentially going on to perform at the Royal Albert Hall.
