25 Oct 2026
A recorder player from St Albans will be performing in the final of BBC Young Musician 2026.
Seventeen-year-old Alma Nunez Debretzeni, who studies at Parmiter’s School in Garston, and at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department in London, was announced as a competition finalist this evening.
Alma began playing the recorder with Catherine Gray in St Albans and while still in primary school she won first place in the North London Festival, Watford Festival and St Albans Young Musician.
Between 2022 and 2024 she won the Junior, Intermediate and Senior Wind Prizes at the Junior Academy. In 2025 she participated in the Tel Aviv Recorder Festival’s international competition for the second time, where she won first prize in the ‘15-19’ and ‘Works by Women Composers’ categories.
Alma is currently in Year 12 and is studying psychology, music and English at A-Level. She also enjoys playing cello in the school orchestra and singing in the choir. Outside playing, Alma loves doing yoga and listening to pop music.
Alma and her two fellow finalists were revealed earlier tonight during the Young Musician semi-final – which aired on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer – having been recorded in July at Swansea University’s Bay Campus.
The final will be broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds on Sunday November 1 and presented by broadcaster and writer Petroc Trelawny, who fronts all rounds of BBC Young Musician 2026.
The three finalists will compete for the title by performing a concerto accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Alpesh Chauhan.
Judging every televised round of this year’s competition are pianist and composer Joanna MacGregor and conductor Ben Gernon, and for the final they will be joined by celebrated composer and current Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen. Together, the trio of judges will crown the winner of BBC Young Musician 2026.
Photo shows Alma Nunez Debretzeni, Sofia Demetriades, Kezia Colton. Image: BBC/Betsan Evans
