Battle of the Bands

BMT Battle of the Bands brings together the best young bands from across Buckinghamshire and beyond for a huge celebration of live music.

Open to school-age musicians playing any genre of music, Battle of the Bands gives young bands the chance to perform live, meet other musicians and compete for a place at our annual final at Wycombe Swan.

Bands first perform at one of our live auditions, with selected acts going through to the final. Finalists perform on a professional stage with full sound, lighting and backline, in front of a live audience and an expert panel of industry judges.

Prizes & opportunities

The winning band receives an overall prize package, including a professional recording session and further performance opportunities.

Individual prizes are also awarded for outstanding musicianship, including categories such as best drummer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist.

Battle of the Bands is about more than just the overall winner, too. Each year, additional performance opportunities are often offered to other finalists and runners-up, giving young musicians the chance to continue performing beyond the competition itself.

Battle of the Bands 12

The Battle of the Bands 12 final takes place at the Old Town Hall, Wycombe Swan on Saturday 20th March 2027.

At a glance

Who can enter? Bands of two or more young musicians. The competition is primarily for school-age musicians, but bands can also include members who have recently left school.
What music? Any genre
Auditions: February 2027
Final: 20th March 2027, the Old Town Hall, Wycombe Swan
Cost: Free to enter

Audition venues

Aylesbury Music Centre — Monday 8th February 2027
Wycombe Abbey School — Tuesday 23rd February 2027
Centre for Music, Oxford — Thursday 11th February 2027

Entries

Application deadline: Friday 15th January 2027.

Please read the Battle of the Bands 12 Terms and Conditions of Entry before completing the form.

Fields marked * are required.

1. About Your Band

Band name *

Tell us about your band! *
Tell us a little about your band: how you started, your musical style and what inspires you. We may use this description in our programme or on social media. Maximum 100 words.

Band website / social media links (optional)

Band photo (optional)
If you have a photo of your band, we’d love to see it! Upload a JPG or PNG image (maximum 5 MB). Don’t worry if you haven’t got one yet.

2. Band Members

Please provide details for every member of your band, including contact details for a parent or carer. We’ll use these details to keep you informed about the competition, and as a contact in case of emergency.

The first two band members are required. Expand the sections below to add further members.

Band Member 1

Full name *

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) *

Instrument(s) / Role *

School / College *

Parent / Carer – full name *

Parent / Carer – email address *

Parent / Carer – telephone number *

Band Member 2

Full name *

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) *

Instrument(s) / Role *

School / College *

Parent / Carer – full name *

Parent / Carer – email address *

Parent / Carer – telephone number *

Add band member 3 (optional)

Band Member 3

Full name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

Instrument(s) / Role

School / College

Parent / Carer – full name

Parent / Carer – email address

Parent / Carer – telephone number

Add band member 4 (optional)

Band Member 4

Full name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

Instrument(s) / Role

School / College

Parent / Carer – full name

Parent / Carer – email address

Parent / Carer – telephone number

Add band member 5 (optional)

Band Member 5

Full name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

Instrument(s) / Role

School / College

Parent / Carer – full name

Parent / Carer – email address

Parent / Carer – telephone number

Add band member 6 (optional)

Band Member 6

Full name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

Instrument(s) / Role

School / College

Parent / Carer – full name

Parent / Carer – email address

Parent / Carer – telephone number

More than six members? Please contact botb@bucksmusic.org to provide the additional details.

3. Auditions

Please select your preferred audition venue. We’ll do our best to accommodate your choice, but cannot guarantee availability.

Preferred audition venue *

If you’re unable to attend an audition in person, please contact the organisers to discuss alternative arrangements.

4. A Few Final Details

How did you hear about Battle of the Bands? (optional)

School or music teacherFriend or familyInstagram / Facebook / TikTokPrevious participantBucks Music TrustOther

Other (please specify)

Terms and conditions

Read the Battle of the Bands 12 Terms and Conditions of Entry (opens in a new tab).

I confirm that all members of the act have read and agree to the Battle of the Bands 12 Terms and Conditions of Entry. *

I confirm that I have informed all band members and their parents/carers (where applicable) about this application, and that the contact details provided are accurate. *

A separate confirmation email will be sent to each parent/carer email address provided after a successful submission. Please check your junk/spam folder if it does not arrive.