Welcome to the 2026 BBC Music Magazine Awards.
The nominated recordings for the 2026 Newcomer Award, in association with Yamaha, are listed below.
The nominees for the 2026 Newcomer Award
Mussorgsky • Rachmaninov • Scriabin
Piano Works
Jan Schulmeister (piano)
Supraphon SU43652
An outstanding debut from young Czech pianist Jan Schulmeister, not yet 20, this recital reveals striking musical intelligence and depth of thought across works by Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov and Scriabin. Not only a showcase of virtuosity, the record is also, as our reviewer notes, ‘united by an intense musicality’ throughout.
ad tendo
Works by Biber, Hildegard, Reena Esmail et al
Simone Porter (violin)
Bright Shiny Things BSTC-0217
Simone Porter delivers a poignantly focused recital shaped by Simone Weil’s belief that, ‘Attention taken to its highest degree is the same thing as prayer’. Spanning music from Hildegard von Bingen to Reena Esmail and beyond, the album demands deep listening with performances that are ‘completely secure in the technical demands of the music.’
Fantasie
Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor; Nocturnes Nos 7 & 8; Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin; Bruyères; Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 11 Nos 1 & 2; Piano Sonata No. 2; plus works by Bonds, Price and Still
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason (piano)
Sony Classical 19802889462
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason’s debut album is a stylistically curated recital, revealing a pianist of poise, clarity and imagination. Moving seamlessly from Chopin and Debussy to Scriabin and Florence Price, this ‘confident offering’ marks an exciting next chapter for the pianist and left our reviewer wondering where she would take us next.
Vote for the winner of this year's Newcomer Award
Voting runs from Thursday 29 January to Wednesday 3 March. You can vote for your favourite from our three Newcomer nominees below.
The purpose of this vote is to allow users to share their opinions on the shortlisted recordings for the BBC Music Magazine Awards. While the results will be of interest to other users and the BBC Music Magazine editorial team, it is not a representative sample and only reflects the views of those who choose to participate. Full terms and conditions can be found on our Terms and Conditions page.
About Yamaha
Yamaha is a global company founded in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha, best known for creating musical instruments and audio technologies that help people make and enjoy music, from pianos, guitars and drums to professional audio gear and home audio products. Built around a long-standing devotion to sound and music, Yamaha’s aim is to create excitement and cultural inspiration with people around the world, supported by a major focus on music education and Yamaha Music Schools.
