Christmas carol competition!

Submit an audio recording of your group singing or playing a carol for the chance to spotlight your leisure-time music group on the radio this Christmas. 

Each year the annual competition with Classic FM brings in many wonderful Christmas tunes from our members. Classic FM has around 5.7m listeners, making it the biggest classical music radio station in the world. This presents a fantastic opportunity for the world to hear what you do and bring more visibility to your group. 

For Christmas 2025, we’re delighted to be partnering up with Classic FM for another year and offer you the chance to submit your carol for a potential spot on Classic FM, with presenter Zeb Soanes.

Need some inspiration? Check out last year's submissions in the Soundcloud playlist at the bottom of this page.

Applications for Christmas 2025 are open until 24 November!

How it works

Classic FM will select five audio recordings of Christmas carols for broadcast in the lead-up to Christmas. It’s not just for vocal groups – instrumental groups can submit their recordings too! You can send us an audio recording of a Christmas carol made recently or from a previous year, and it can be made in person or entirely digitally. 

Audio recording requirements 

Ensure that your audio file is in WAV format before you submit your recording. You should aim for your recording to be no more than five minutes, but if you have a great recording that’s just a bit longer, Classic FM may still consider it - so please send it in! 

Along with your recording, please also send us the details for:

• the title of the carol
• the composer's name
• your group name
• your conductor's name
• any soloists' names
• any other musicians or ensembles in the recording.

Also include your group's website address and any social media handles you use.

How to submit your carol

Once submissions open, click the button below to access the online form. Make sure you complete the mandatory areas, which will help us to identify your recording. Once you've completed the form, you will be redirected to a Dropbox link. You can then click and drag your files. When submitting your recording, please ensure that it is in WAV format and the filename includes the full name of your group and the title of the carol. 

TIP: The sound quality of your recording will be a strong deciding factor in whether your carol is selected, so please choose the best possible recording!

After the deadline, we'll let you know whether your recording has been selected. One carol will be broadcast each weekday on Classic FM Drive (4pm-7pm) in a week in December. 

Whether you’re selected to appear on the Classic FM radio or not, we will include all submissions in our Christmas carol playlist on SoundCloud and promote it on social media and in our press promotion. So, get those carols in!  

If you have any questions, please contact Harriet Laidler at harriet@makingmusic.org.uk. Not a member but would like to take part in this and other opportunities? Find out how to become a member or contact us at info@makingmusic.org.uk