Charlotte Miles Wins 2026 ABC Young Performers Award
The 24-year-old cellist took the top prize after performing Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Classical
Cellist Charlotte Miles won the 2026 ABC Young Performers Awards, performing Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the grand final. The win is her latest among more than 100 music prizes.
Why it matters
The ABC Young Performers Awards is a national showcase for emerging classical musicians, and the grand final concert is broadcast to audiences across Australia. Miles's win adds to a growing record of prizes for an artist who regularly guests with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Miles's win is her latest among more than 100 music prizes, and the winner's cash prize was $40,000, compared with $15,000 for the runner-up and $5,000 for third place. The source does not give the total number of entrants who began the competition in February.
The players
Charlotte Miles
A 24-year-old Australian cellist originally from Victoria who studied in the professional program at the Kronberg Academy in Germany and regularly guests with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
One of Australia's leading orchestras, which performed with each finalist at the grand final concert in the Sydney Opera House.
Benjamin Northey
An Australian conductor who led the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for the grand final performance.
The details
Miles made it through two competitive rounds before performing Elgar's Cello Concerto at the grand final, conducted by Benjamin Northey with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Adjudicators Aura Go, Sophie Rowell, Adam Szabo and Eliza Shephard, chaired by Marshall McGuire, decided the winner.
Timeline
February 2026: Competition opened with preliminary rounds.
3 November 2026: Miles won the grand final performance at the Sydney Opera House.
5 November 2026: The grand final concert was filmed for ABC TV and iview broadcast.
Thursday 5 November, 8:50pm: The full concert airs on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Season Trajectory
The ABC Young Performers Awards places emerging classical musicians before a national audience through a televised grand final with a professional orchestra. Miles's win continues a pattern of the competition showcasing young Australian performers who go on to international careers.
The grand final concert airs on ABC TV and ABC iview on Thursday 5 November at 8:50pm, so viewers can watch the full performance at that time or stream it afterwards. The broadcast gives audiences across Australia free access to the finalists' concerto performances.
The takeaway
Young Australian classical musicians can build national and international careers through competitions that pair them with major orchestras and broadcast their performances. Following broadcast schedules such as ABC iview lets audiences catch emerging talent early.
Further reading
For more on Australian orchestral music, explore our Classical coverage.
