The Cypriot broadcaster CyBC has announced its broadcast plans for Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 on June 6.
With Cyprus returning to Eurovision Young Musicians for the first time since 2010, CyBC will air the final of Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 live. The contest will air live on television on RIK 2 and on the radio on the Fourth Channel. Aris Antoniadis will guide viewers through the competition.
Iakovos Kedaritis was selected by a panel following auditions held in February in Nicosia. The eighteen-year-old plays the clarinet and is the first clarinet player to represent the island nation since 2008. Iakovos is from Paphos and has been performing since he was in primary school. He was a member of the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra and last year won First Prize at the Pancyprian Musical Instrument Competition in the wind category.
Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 will take place on June 6 in Yerevan. This is the first time that Eurovision Young Musicians has been hosted by Armenia, and the third time Yerevan has hosted a Eurovision competition.
The countries and musicians competing are:
- 🇦🇲 Armenia: AMPTV – Elen Virabyan – Flute – Aram Khachaturian’s Violin concerto transposed for flute
- 🇧🇪 Belgium: RTBF – Simon Nakhimovitch – Marimba
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus: CyBC – Iakovos Kedaritis – Clarinet
- 🇨🇿 Czechia: ČT – Nora Lubbadová – Piano
- 🇩🇪 Germany: WDR – Moë Dierstein – Violin – Felix Mendelhssohn’s, Violin Concerto in E minor, 3rd mvt
- 🇱🇻 Latvia: LSM – Sonja Misiņa – Percussion
- 🇵🇱 Poland: TVP – Michał Stochel – Accordion
- 🇵🇹 Portugal: RTP – Beatriz Li Rosão – Violin – Korngold’s Violin Concerto 3rd movement in D major
- 🇷🇸 Serbia: RTS – Jana Jakovljević – Violin – Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate
- 🇸🇪 Sweden: SVT – Edward Ahlbeck Glader – Piano
- 🇨🇠Switzerland: SRF – Manoush Toth – Piano – Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7
Eurovision Young Musicians
Eurovision Young Musicians is a contest for musicians between the ages of 12 and 21. It has been held since 1982, as the first spin-off contest of the Eurovision Song Contest. The event celebrated its 20th edition in 2022, when Montpellier hosted the competition.
A total of 42 countries have competed over 21 editions of the contest. Norway has competed in 20 out of the 21 contests, tied with Austria. Austria is the most successful country, having won six editions and competed in 17 finals. Leonhard Baumgartner from Austria is the latest winner of the contest, taking victory in Bodø‎ in 2024.
Source: CyBC