Violinist Beatrice Colombis, cellist Charlotte Miles and pianist Dillon Chan have been selected as the three grand finalists in the ABC Young Performers Awards.
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Colombis → select → Awards
The finalists will perform as soloists with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on November 3, competing for the title in a live broadcast on ABC Classic.
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finalists → perform → Classic
The concert will also be televised on ABC TV later that week.
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concert → televise → TV
The prestigious competition has helped launch the careers of some of Australia's most successful musicians, including composer and violist Brett Dean, percussionist Claire Edwardes, violinist Emily Sun and, most recently, flautist Eliza Shephard.
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competition → help → Dean
The ABC Young Performers Awards is one of Australia's leading competitions for emerging classical musicians.
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Awards → lead → musicians
Open to instrumentalists aged 31 and under, it provides a national platform for young performers to showcase their artistry and compete at the highest level.
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performers → provide → level
The competition unfolds across three rounds.
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competition → unfold → rounds
In the opening round, applicants submitted a 40-minute video recital for assessment by a judging panel.
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applicants → submit → panel
12 musicians were selected to perform in live semi-final concerts held in Sydney and Melbourne throughout August.
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musicians → select → August
The three finalists will now advance to the Grand Final.
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finalists → advance → Final
The three grand finalists represent the breadth of Australia's emerging classical talent.
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finalists → represent → talent
Between them, they have amassed significant performance experience and won a host of Australian and international competitions and prizes.
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they → amass → competitions
Beatrice Colombis, 23, is an Italian-Australian violinist studying at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin after graduating from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
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Colombis → study → Music
In 2020, Colombis formed the Cousin Quartet with her brother and cousins, which won Musica Viva's inaugural Strike A Chord competition.
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which → form → competition
She was selected as an Emerging Artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2023 and 2024, and has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Karajan Akademie Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
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She → select → Orchestra
Earlier in 2026, Colombis won the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
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Colombis → win → Competition
Colombis will perform Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Grand Final of the Awards.
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Colombis → perform → Awards
Charlotte Miles, 23, is a Melbourne-born cellist studying at the Kronberg Academy in Germany.
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Miles → bear → Germany
She has won more than 100 Australian and international prizes, including the Australian National Young Virtuoso Award and 3MBS Young Performer of the Year.
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She → win → Year
Miles also received the Melbourne Prize for Music's Professional Development Award in 2025.
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Miles → receive → 2025
A passionate chamber musician, Miles has appeared at major festivals across Australia and Europe, performing with numerous ensembles.
She plays a 1780 Joseph Hill cello on loan from an Australian collection.
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She → appear → collection
Miles will perform Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Grand Final of the Awards.
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Miles → perform → Awards
Dillon Chan, 13, is a Melbourne-born pianist and Year 9 music scholar at Camberwell Grammar School.
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Chan → bear → School
His trio, Kingussie, won the 2026 Musica Viva Strike A Chord National Chamber Music Competition.
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trio → win → Competition
Chan has also won major national and international piano competitions, including the Steinway Youth Piano Competition Australia and the Hephzibah Menuhin Memorial Awards.
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Chan → win → Competition
He performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician and is a Young Ambassador of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.
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He → perform → Foundation
Chan will perform Chopin's Second Piano Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Grand Final of the Awards.
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Chan → perform → Awards
The three finalists will each perform a concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on November 3.
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finalists → perform → November
Each competitor will receive a cash prize for the purpose of furthering their musical career.
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competitor → receive → career
The following prizes will be awarded on the night of the Grand Final:
- Winner: $40,000 and the opportunity to record a solo studio album under the ABC Classic label.
- Runner-up: $15,000 cash prize.
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prizes → award → label
How can you watch and listen to the grand final?
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you → watch → final
The Grand Final will be broadcast on ABC TV and iview on Thursday 5 November at 8:50pm.
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Final → broadcast → 8:50pm
The Aporia