Neuhof School Band from Neuhof English Medium School in Mizoram clinched the title of Yamaha Teens Rock 2026 – Battle of the Bands, becoming the national champion at the grand finale held on Sunday in Bengaluru.
The band represented the Northeast Zone and won after competing against five other finalist groups at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts. The event, organised by Yamaha Music India and powered by Trinity College London, awarded the winning team a prize of Rs 4.5 lakh.
Tamil Nadu’s CS Howlers finished as first runner‑up, while The Apricity from Shri Hanuman Mandir Dharamshala School in West Bengal secured second runner‑up status. The 2026 edition attracted more than 680 registrations and over 270 video submissions from young bands across India, with six teams advancing to the finale.
Neuhof School Band had earlier won the Northeast Zone title, earning a place among the five zonal winners and a spot in the national final. The competition is open to bands from academic schools and music academies, with performers aged 18 and below.
The finale also featured special performances by students from KM Music Conservatory, The Sunshine Orchestra and Yamaha artists, and was attended by Yamaha Music India brand ambassador and composer A.R. Rahman. Judges included Yamaha artists Ranjit Barot, Gulraj Singh and Rhythm Shaw, and Stuart Briner, Director of Music and Performing Arts at Trinity College London, who evaluated the bands on musicality, creativity, stage presence and overall performance quality.
