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On 9 April 1978, 11m television viewers were glued to their sets, keen to discover which of the four young finalists was going to pick up the prize of the 麻豆社's new competition for young musicians.

麻豆社 Young Musician of the Year had dominated prime time television for the past two weeks. The final was presented by the 麻豆社鈥檚 Head of Music, Humphrey Burton, who had dreamt up the competition with the aim of showing the nation what wonderful young musicians we have. The musicians of the 麻豆社 Northern orchestra all wore tailcoats and evening dress, and Humphrey Burton and the three male finalists wore black tie and dinner jacket. The young cellist Caroline Dale鈥檚 vibrant green maxi dress was much more of the moment.

The four finalists had come through a series of elimination rounds. Local Cheshire boy Stephen Hough had dazzled with a maturity beyond his 16 years. 13-year-old Caroline Dale from Middlesbrough had paid tribute to her first inspiration, Jacqueline du Pr茅 by playing two movements of the Elgar concerto for the final. 16-year-old clarinettist Michael Collins, from the West London suburbs, had showed a precocious, rounded musicianship in his performance of the concerto by Gerald Finzi. But it was a 17-year-old trombonist from Bedford, Michael Hext, who walked away with the top prize.

The Guardian鈥檚 music critic was sniffy about the standard of the musicians in the final. They rather grudgingly conceded that Hext鈥檚 projection and full-bodied tone had made him a worthy winner, but that the overall standard suggested something was lacking in British musical education. The subsequent trajectory of all four finalists would rather suggest otherwise.

Michael Hext has had a distinguished career as principal trombone of orchestras from the Hall茅 to the London Philharmonic to the Royal Opera House. Michael Collins has been a star clarinet soloist and chamber musician and, latterly, a successful conductor; Stephen Hough is simply one of the greatest pianists we have anywhere, and Caroline Dale has been a varied working life as a distinguished chamber musician, string arranger and soloist.

麻豆社 Young Musician turned 40 last year.

This is one of 100 significant musical moments explored by 麻豆社 Radio 3鈥檚 Essential Classics as part of Our Classical Century, a 麻豆社 season celebrating a momentous 100 years in music from 1918 to 2018. Visit bbc.co.uk/ourclassicalcentury to watch and listen to all programmes in the season.

This archive recording features soloist and former 麻豆社 Young Musician winner Nicola Benedetti with the 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ilan Volkov.

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