Petroc Trelawny and Josie D’Arby have been announced as the hosts of this years Eurovision Young Musicians

Petroc Trelawny’s career started at BBC Radio Devon in 1989 as a Reporter and Presenter, before going on to present for Classic FM, and then BBC Radio 3 in 1998. Trelawny also reports for a range of Classical Music programmes on BBC Two, BBC Four as Sky Arts,

Josie D’Arcy started in kids TV before becoming the youngest woman to have her own chat show in 1999. She has presented a number of cultural programs for the BBC including  BBC Young Musician of the Year, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World , BBC Songs of Praise and BBC Choir of the Year.

The competing countries and their representatives are:

• Albania – Klaudio Zoto – Cello
• Belgium – Alexandra Cooreman – Violin
• Croatia – Jan Tominić – Saxophone
• Czech Republic – Indi Stivín – Double bass
• Estonia – Tanel-Eiko Novikov – Percussion
• Germany – Mira Foron – Violin
• Greece – Thanos Tzanetakis – Guitar
• Hungary –Máté Bencze – Saxophone
• Israel – Tamir Naaman-Pery- Cello
• Malta – Bernice Sammut Attard – Piano
• Norway – Birgitta Elisa Oftestad – Cello
• Poland – Marta Chlebicka – Flute
• Russia – Ivan Bessonov – Piano
• San Marino – Francesco Stefanelli – Cello
• Slovenia – Nikola Pajanović – Violin
• Spain – Sara Valenica – Violin
• Sweden – Johanna Ander Ljung – Harp
• United Kingdom – Maxim Calver – Cello

Albania will make their Eurovision Young Musicians debut in this year’s contest. Seven countries will make their return to the contest. These are:

Belgium (last participated in 2006),

Estonia (2004),

Greece (2014),

Israel (1986),

Russia (2010),

Spain (2002)

and the host nation, the United Kingdom (2010).

Austria, who is the most successful country in the contest with five wins, will not take part for the first time since 1982.

Semi Final 1 takes places on the 18th August, with Semi Final 2 taking place on 19th August. The Final will then take place on 23rd August