A THOUSAND young musicians from Yorkshire will perform at Colne Valley High School in a bid for success at the National Festival of Music For Youth.
A total of 46 ensembles from schools and music schools across the county will be taking part in the regional heat of the festival on March 15 and 16.
There will be performances from vocal groups, orchestras and instrumental ensembles.
Adjudicators will judge the performance at this heat – and 42 other regional heats taking place around the UK during February and March.
Successful groups from those heats will go on to perform at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham in July.
The best will then be picked to perform at the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in November.
David Dransfield, Kirklees Music School centre co-ordinator at Colne Valley High, said the festival was a huge event.
“It is a really big deal, especially for those who make the final stages. You hear so many bad things about young people but this is a real celebration of the fact that around 1,000 youngsters will give up not only their weekend but months of rehearsals for this.”
Many of the young musicians will have rehearsed since last year for the festival.
Mr Dransfield said organising this year’s event had been made easier thanks to HOCHTIEF Facility Management UK Ltd, who took over duties at Colne Valley High School from Jarvis.
The company has waived charges for hiring the school and caretaking duties during the festival.
Mr Dransfield said: “They have been extremely good to us.”
