EUROVISION ... it's a word synonymous with ridiculous but catchy tunes, cheesy moves, out-there outfits and toe-curling ceremonies.

But this week Eurovision Young Musician – the Eurovision Song Contest's lesser-known sister contest featuring virtuouso young musicians from across Europe – is coming to Scotland for the first time as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.

The contest, founded in 1982, has grown in the last 25 years into one of the most coveted classical titles for young talent. Semi-finals have been held this weekend for 18 of the most talented musicians from countries across Europe including Coatia, Greece, Sweden, Spain and the UK, which is represented by BBC Young Musician of 2018, cellist Maxim Calver.

Almost all the other competitors have won equivalent competitions in their home countries. Each has to play their instrument either solo or with piano accompaniment, for a maximum duration of 18 minutes.

The top six will go through to live televised final at Edinburgh's Usher Hall on Thursday, which as well as being broadcast on BBC will be shown in multiple European countries, giving what organisers claims is an unprecedented platform.

But there is no possibility of politically motivated nul points scores here. The competition jury is made up of the leading names in classical music including Scottish composer and conductor James MacMillan and performer and composer Anna Meredith, and these experts, rather than the public, will choose a winner.

While the song contest is celebrated for its bad taste, this version is perfectly pitched and aims not only to showcase young talent but put the cool back in classical. Promo videos show hip young musicians practising in dressed-down mode in skateparks and urban open spaces.

Maxim Calver, from Norfolk, who is 18 and studies at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, said he hoped the competition would help inspire other young people to give classical and other forms of music a try.

We are all very early in our careers so it's a great opportunity,” he added. “It's great because we get to meet other people who are similar to ourselves but from different countries and we can be inspired by each other and learn from each other.”

He admitted that classical music could be a “different world” to some young people but claimed that people should try to see past genre-defining boundaries. UK audience data from 2017 shows that while 41 per cent of classical concert audiences are over 41, only 7 per cent are 30 or under.

“I love classical,” he said. “It's something I found I really enjoyed playing. But I'm very open to other forms of music too. There is this perception that classical music is very old school and middle class. As performers I think we have to do all we can to move away from that stereotype. I think it's getting a bit better. Ten years ago it was starting to die among young people. Now I think it's having a bit of a resurgence.”

Edinburgh International Festival head of music Andrew Moore said the competition offered a unique chance to see the classical stars of the future. Previous winners including such eminent figures as Lithuanian-born violinist and conductor Julian Rachlin, British cellist Natalie Clein, Dutch violinist Isabelle van Keulen and German pianist and violinist Julia Fischer.

Moore, who is also on the final judging panel, added: “It's an important event because it's a chance to see the 18 most exciting young musicians in Europe. The standard is incredibly high. Its past winners are a stellar list of the most important people in classical music today and it offers a window to future talent.

“We hope that as well as offering a platform for the young people taking part it will really inspire other young people. Classical music audiences are older but at the Edinburgh festival we are trying to do a lot to try to encourage younger people to come to concerts and participate.”

Jon Ola, the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) executive supervisor, who also oversees the Eurovision Song Contest, he was “very happy” to be in Edinburgh for the first time. It is also the first time the competition has been in the UK since its 1982 launch event, when only six countries were involved.

“We have a lot of Eurovision brands, not just the song contest but one for young dancers and another for choirs,” he added. “It has a lot to offer.

“The main reason for this project is to provide a showcase for talented, professional young musicians and to give them a large stage to perform on. We aim to show what public service broadcasters can do then they come together.”

He claimed that no other TV outlet was able to offer the same level of exposure. In total EBU members operate nearly 2,000 television and radio channels alongside numerous online platforms, and claim to reach audiences of more than one billion people globally, broadcasting in more than 160 languages.