Hugo Svedberg reaches BBC Young Musician semi-finals

On October 13, Hugo Svedberg, from Bournemouth will discover if he has earned a spot in the Grand Final.

The 16-year-old cellist has been studying music since the age of six and is an academic scholar at Canford School.

Hugo said: “It’s really exciting to play for all these people in a different atmosphere than I am used to.

“Obviously, there’s a bit more pressure because of the cameras and knowing that people are going to see me on TV.

“But so far it has been a great experience, and I have learned so much from doing it.”

Hugo’s dad, Jesper Svedberg, is the principal cellist in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and has taught Hugo his skill from a young age.

Jesper said: “Both his parents are musicians, so it was quite natural for Hugo as there was always music in the house.

“BBC Young Musician is something we have been watching on the TV since Hugo was very young.

“The competition started with 350 people, and now we are down to the very last six, and we are very proud of him.

“Of course, he wants to do well, and he has been working very very hard. But the most important thing with these competitions it to try to be motivated and enjoy it.”

Hugo Svedberg (Image: Submitted)

The semi-finals for this prestigious biennial competition were held and filmed in July at the Great Hall, Swansea University, and are due to be broadcast on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.

The BBC Young Musician Grand Final, recorded at Bristol Beacon on Tuesday, September 24, features three finalists competing for the title. They each perform a concerto accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor Ben Gernon.

In 2024, Hugo represented Sweden in the EBU Eurovision Young Musicians  competition in Norway, coming second in the competition.

He added: “For me, the cello is such an exciting and enriching thing, and I enjoy learning new pieces.

“I like to create different characters with my instrument and bring emotion into my pieces when I perform.”