Austrian School Music Competition for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: More than 100 entries and nine winning classes
The first-ever school music competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, held under the motto “United by Music” as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education (BMB) and ORF, has far exceeded expectations: Since its start on February 9, 2026, more than 100 musical contributions from students of upper secondary education from all over Austria have been received. A music group from each federal state was selected, and three of them will even make it to the big ESC stage.
A wide range of musical entries was permitted, from self-composed music to cover versions, whether rap, pop, or any other genre. A jury comprising representatives from the Ministry of Education and the ORF evaluated the numerous musical submissions from all over Austria and subsequently selected a winning entry from each province. These nine bands and choirs will receive tickets to the Eurovision Song Contest “Afternoon Preview Show” on Tuesday, May 12, at the Wiener Stadthalle. In addition, three classes will have the opportunity to perform directly on the main ESC stage as part of the pre-show: HTL Linz Goethestraße (Upper Austria), BG Geblergasse (Vienna), and BRG Innsbruck APP (Tyrol). Education Minister Wiederkehr will be present in person for this performance.
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr: “The high level of participation and the impressive quality of the entries clearly demonstrate just how vibrant and important music is in our schools. This is where creativity, community, and expressiveness flourish—exactly what education is all about in the best sense of the word. I am particularly pleased to personally welcome all nine state-winning classes to the pre-show in Vienna. The fact that three schools will also have the opportunity to perform on the big stage of the Eurovision Song Contest during the pre-show makes this experience all the more unique and unforgettable.”
Michael Krön, Executive Producer of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, emphasized that the student competition is a particularly important initiative for ORF because it actively engages young people throughout Austria and showcases their diverse musical contributions. “Some entries have touched us in the jury, others made us think, and some even made us dance outright. In any case, they all entertained and inspired us. From the very beginning, we wanted to reach everyone in Austria, across all age groups, with the Song Contest and bring them joy. The students impressively demonstrated their creativity while celebrating cultural togetherness. And now, for three classes, it’s time to move from the classroom to the grand Song Contest stage at the Wiener Stadthalle—the stage of the world’s biggest music show.”
An overview of the winning classes from across Austria:
- Upper Austria – HTL Linz Goethestraße: One Pulse – “Stand as one”
- Salzburg – BORG Mittersill: Beeline 309 – “Vienna”
- Styria – BORG Bad Radkersburg: Music & Voice – “Where is my husband”
- Carinthia – BORG Hermagor: Falkenfrei – “Nur du”
- Burgenland – BAfEP Oberwart: VOX BAfEP – “Ein Lächeln, a smile, mosoly i smih”
- Vienna – BG Geblergasse: I Prevent – “EGO”
- Lower Austria – Private G/RG Sacré Coeur Pressbaum: Blacktide – “From the start”
- Tyrol – BRG Innsbruck APP: Class Choir 7a/7b – “Happiness”
- Vorarlberg – BORG Lauterach: Cosmo rebels – “Nur ein Wort”
Teaching materials for the Eurovision Song Contest are now available
To coincide with the contest, the Eurovision Song Contest is now making its way into Austrian classrooms. At the initiative of the Ministry of Education, comprehensive teaching materials have been developed and are now available at bildung.ORF.at and on the BMB’s eduthek (www.bildung.gv.at/filter/eduthek). The materials are available in two versions—one for grades 7 and 8, and another for grades 9 through 13—and enable an age-appropriate, critical exploration of the world’s largest music competition.
They explore the musical, historical, and sociopolitical dimensions of the Eurovision Song Contest, trace its eventful history between pop music and politics, and offer a diverse mix of methods ranging from quiz formats and group work to creative projects. The goal is to promote teamwork, critical thinking, and the development of one's own perspectives – and thereby support lively learning around a major cultural event.
(April 17, 2026)