Britten Pears Young Artist Programme

We will be announcing our 2025/2026 programme of courses on 6 January 2025. Please keep an eye on our social media for updates on how to apply.

The Britten Pears Young Artist Programme (BPYAP) was founded in 1972 by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. It continues to offer early career professional musicians high-level performance training from some of the world’s finest performers, teachers and creatives. The programme takes place through courses and residencies at our creative campus, set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in rural Suffolk.

We're looking for outstanding emerging young artists (18 or over) interested in exciting opportunities to further refine their skills and gain valuable input from industry professionals. Generally, young artists come on our courses once they have either graduated from formal training or are finishing their education. There is no fixed upper age limit; being early career can look different for different artists and we embrace those that have taken a non-traditional route with starting their career, however there is no fixed upper age limit to apply. Being early career can look different for different artists, and we embrace those that have taken non-traditional routes in their training.

Following participation on a BPYAP course, young artists become part of the Britten Pears Arts network and could receive further opportunities within our performance programme, artist development and outreach-based projects.

We currently have opportunities for singers, collaborative pianists, chamber ensembles, instrumentalists, composers and an assistant conductor. There are no course fees, and we cover international and UK travel, accommodation in Aldeburgh and provide most meals.

Being a Britten Pears Young Artist has been the development opportunity of a lifetime. I am so grateful to have had the immense privilege of partaking in what has been the most transformative week of my life. There is absolutely something magical in the air at Snape Maltings.

Britten Pears Young Artist 2023-24

Find out why you should apply to BPYAP...

2024-25 Courses

French Song and Mélodie

A residential masterclass course on French Song and Mélodie for singers and collaborative pianists. Led by Véronique Gens and Susan Manoff, the week will also incorporate coaching and repetiteur skills development with Audrey Hyland.

Composition and Performance

Course directors Colin Matthews, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Claire Booth. This intensive 9-day course, with composers and performers working together very closely on new music, gives participants a uniquely collaborative and in-depth experience of bringing to life recent and new repertoire for composers, singers, instrumentalists and an assistant conductor.

Chamber Music in Residence

A series of two-week residencies for existing chamber ensembles focussed on time and space to develop as a group on one of our sites in the Suffolk countryside. This residency will include two performances in our long-established Friday Lunchtime Concert series at Aldeburgh’s Jubilee Hall.
Four musicians sat in a row playing instruments with red lights behind them

Chamber Music Plus

A 12-day residency for five chamber ensembles based in strings and piano, with coaching and contributions from James Baillieu, Isabel Charisius, The Heath Quartet, Elena Urioste and Melissa White.

“I found the week both incredibly enjoyable and deeply inspiring. We had the space to explore hidden gems of contemporary music in an environment that was challenging, supportive, inclusive and great fun!”

Britten Pears Young Artist 2022-23

Snape Maltings Concert Hall in black and white with an orange line along the roof

2022-23 Britten Pears Young Artists

Watch BPYAP on YouTube

50 Years of BPYAP

Life as a Britten Pears Young Artist

Read Now

Explore BPYAP stories

  1. portrait of Katy Thompson at Snape Maltings

    Katy Thomson: My Year as a Britten Pears Young Artist

    The Britten Pears Young Artist Programme celebrates 50 years in 2022. This year the format was turned on its head. Here a young artist reflects on the…

  2. Archive Treasures: The Birth of a Music School

    In 2022 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (previously the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical…

  3. Musicians in Society

    What is the role of a musician in society, beyond the realm of the concert hall? Members of the Britten Pears Young Artist programme, together with the…

We are so grateful to our supporters, without whom none of our work would be possible. Visit Support us to find out how you can help.

Supporters contributing toward the 2024-25 Britten Pears Young Artist Programme include:

Alex and Sonia Scott-Barrett

Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne

Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust

The Boltini Trust

Chandos Memorial Trust

The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

Elizabeth Harwood Memorial Trust

Felicity Guinness

Fidelio Charitable Trust

Fiona Mackenzie

The Fresh Leaf Charitable Foundation

The Garrick Charitable Trust

H Steven and PE Wood Charitable Trust

Idlewild Trust

Jerwood Foundation

John Lawrence Field Memorial Trust

The John and Penelope Lebus Trust

Kirstene Baillie

Medd Bursary

Professor Sir Barry Ife

The Radcliffe Trust

The Rainbow Dickinson Trust

The Richard and Gillie Cave Trust

Ruth Common

The Steel Charitable Trust

The Thriplow Charitable Trust

Tim and Lizzie-Boo Llewellyn

The Nicholson Family in memory of Patricia Nicholson

Viola Tunnard Trust

Scarfe Charitable Trust

and the BPYAP Associates