Welcome to SYMF 2026
16th - 19th March 2026
Entries are now open
About Shetland Youth Music Festival
Shetland’s rich and lively musical heritage is well known and much celebrated. The week-long annual Shetland Youth Music Festival brings together young people across the isles to perform music in front of live audiences.
We are committed to giving Shetland’s young people the experience and joy of music making and performance. In the opportunities it affords our young musicians, the festival builds and strengthens our musical heritage for the future, providing young people with a creative musical community with which they can identify and share.
Our festival is driven by the principles of inclusivity, participation, quality and celebration. Inclusive participation is central to our approach. The festival is for all young people under 19, wherever they are in Shetland. We invite the participation of children of primary school age one year, alternating with high school age the next.
SYMF 2025 saw over 200 children taking part from high schools. The 2026 festival is open to all junior schools across Shetland.
A word from our Adjudicator
Anne MacDonald
We were delighted to welcome Anne to adjudicate again to this year's festival. An examiner for Trinity College London and violinist with Scottish Ballet Orchestra, Anne was in Shetland in 2025 adjudicating the senior festival.
"I feel very fortunate to have been asked to return to Shetland to adjudicate the next Youth Music Festival.
On my previous visits I was struck by just how much music is a vital and thriving part of life on the islands. Children are involved in so many different aspects, often able to play more than one instrument and always with passion. The role that your instrumental and vocal instructors fulfil is one to be admired. It certainly is something to be cherished.
I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to travel much of the world as an adjudicator and examiner and to be able to see first hand how talents are nurtured in different places. Shetland really is quite special in its musical heritage and I can’t wait to get back and enjoy more high class music making"
