ROSL Annual Music Competition Gold Medal Final 2018, Queen Elizabeth Hall

Who can resist a competitive grand final? And when the occasion means a glimpse of tomorrow's top artists in the making, the night out is even more memorable.

On Monday 4 June at the newly beautified Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre, musicians from all disciplines go head to head for both cash prizes and for added limelight on their already blossoming careers. The Royal Over-Seas League 66th annual music competition Gold Medal Final promises to be a starry and heartwarming event, as well as an evening of lovely music.

Gold Medal winners in the past have gone on to achieve phenomenal success in the opera world. Lucy Crowe recently sang the Countess in ENO’sThe Marriage of Figaro, Gold Medal finalist Kitty Whately appeared in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Coraline at the Barbican, and soprano Soraya Mafi will appear in Garsington Opera’s new Falstaff. Winning instrumentalists have included Jacqueline du Pre (cello), Melvyn Tan (harpsichord), Piers Lane (piano), and Juliette Bausor (flute.

Tucked off Piccadilly, in the Princess Alexandra Hall at Over-Seas House, the Royal Over-Seas League has a year-round programme of live music, and its annual competition encourages both singers and instrumentalists, as soloists and in ensembles. There are more than £75,000 in awards, with a £15,000 first prize for solo performers and two chamber ensemble awards of £10,000.

The Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition encourages both solo artists and ensembles. Photo: James McCormick

Section finals have run every Tuesday starting from 13 February until 20 March, with an Overseas Final on 22 March. Concerts all take place in the Princess Alexandra Hall in elegant Over-Seas House.

At the final on 4 June, four soloists will compete: the Wind and Brass finalist Jonathan Radford (saxophone) meets bass baritone Voice winner Michael Mofidian, Strings winner violinist Emmanuel Bach, and pianist Florian Mitrea. Also performing will be two winning ensembles, the Marmen Quartet and the A4 Brass Quartet.

This year's five final competitors will show off the whole range of their abilities with programmes of music from early to modern, and in all moods. Judges include past ROSL Gold Medal finalists, professionals from the music industry and journalists. It promises to be a very exciting evening.