After some sparkling performances in the semi-finals, six musicians took part in the final of Eurovision Young Musicians at Edinburgh's iconic Usher Hall on Thursday 23 August.

Pianist Ivan Bessonov from Russia was announced the winner after a sensational performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1, 3rd movement. Watch the full performance above, and see more pictures from the final here.

The complete final concert is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer following its broadcast on BBC Two Scotland; and you can listen on BBC iPlayer Radio following its broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

18 young contestants have been competing throughout the weekend in the semi-final round of the pan-European classical music competition for young players aged between 12 and 21. Each musician performed a chamber recital for a live audience and an expert jury led by British cellist and conductor David Watkin.

After six hours of competition, the jury revealed that the young musicians who have won a place in Thursday's Final are:

Hungary: Máté Bencze - saxophone

Germany: Mira Marie Foron - violin

Russia: Ivan Bessonov - piano

Norway: Birgitta Oftestad - cello

Czech Republic: Indi Stivín - double bass

Slovenia: Nikola Pajanović - violin

Image source, EIF

Each musician will perform on Thursday 23 August at Edinburgh’s iconic Usher Hall, where they will be accompanied by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under its Chief Conductor Thomas Dausgaard. If you are in the UK you can watch via BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button, and in Scotland also on BBC Two Scotland. And around Europe via the European Broadcasting Union.

The winner of Eurovision Young Musicians 2018 will be decided by an international panel of classical music luminaries including American conductor Marin Alsop, Scottish composers Sir James MacMillan and Anna Meredith, cellist and conductor David Watkin, and the Edinburgh International Festival’s Head of Music, Andrew Moore.

We'll join the judges' announcement from Edinburgh shortly - watch above for the decision live.

Now that we've heard all 18 musicians in the semi-finals, the judges are deliberating behind the scenes and will return to the stage at 7.40pm. We'll be live then to hear which 6 musicians are heading to Thursday's final at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.

The last semi-final of the weekend runs from 6-7pm BST, followed a short time afterwards (at 7.40pm BST) by the judges' decision - which six of our 18 young musicians are going forward to the final?

The Final takes place on Thursday 23 August at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. If you're in the UK you can watch proceedings via BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button, and in Scotland also on BBC Two Scotland. Alsop is on the judging panel alongside Sir James MacMillan, Anna Meredith and Andrew Moore.Find out more about the juries for the semi-finals and final., external

Our friends at Eurovision Young Musicians HQ have put together this 5 minute highlights reel of Saturday's performances. You can watch them all in full at the top of this page.

We are back at 4pm for the live stream of the second of today's semi-finals, featuring participants from Russia, Germany and Czech Republic.

We are gearing up for the first of three semi-finals today, at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm live from the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Each session lasts one hour and sees these skilled musicians play for around 18 minutes.

The group of six going to Thursday's Final at the iconic Usher Hall will be announced by the judges tonight around 7.30pm.

Proceedings get started at 2pm withTanel-Eiko Novikov, from Estonia's capital Tallinn, who plays percussion and will perform works by Marjan, Sibelius and Piazzolla.

The contestants from Belgium (2.20pm) and Albania (2.40pm) follow.

More details below...

Some images from Semi-finals One and Two on Saturday. We'll be back at the Edinburgh International Festival for Day Two of the competition from 2pm BST on Sunday.

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Image source, EIF

Watch live at 6pm for the final three performances of Saturday's semi-final.

The third of this weekend's semi-finals is coming up at 6pm. Here's what to expect musically...

The second of today's semi-finals is underway. Here's what's coming up.

Proceedings get started here at 2pm with Bernice Sammut Attard, from Malta, playing piano. She will be performing works by Poulenc, Rachmaninov and Chopin.

The contestants from UK (2.20pm) and Spain (2.40pm) follow.

18-year-old cellist Maxim Calver, who represents the UK and was the winner of the Strings Category Final in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition 2018, chooses an eclectic mix of Lutoslawski, Brahms and Stravinsky.

And Sara Valencia, a 19-year-old violinist from Madrid, performs works by Sarasate, Paganini and Bruch.

Here's the official running order of the 18 countries taking part in Eurovision Young Musicians this weekend.

Image source, Eurovision

Eighteen performers are competing for this year's Eurovision Young Musicians title as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, external. The contestants, who must be under 21, have all either won a televised competition or been selected by a committee of musical experts in their home country.

After two days of semi-finals this weekend in which each contestant gives a short public recital, the 18 contestants will be whittled down to just six by the panel of judges. For the final a few days later, those six will perform a concerto movement accompanied by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard.

You can watch the semi-finals live on this page from 2pm on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 August. The final will be broadcast on BBC Two Scotland on Thursday 23 August.