MORE than 1,600 young musicians brought the Colne Valley alive with music.

They took part in Music for Youth which is the world’s largest music festival for young people.

Colne Valley High School hosted the Huddersfield regional festival with many local musicians taking part from full string orchestras to small classroom bands.

Honley High School performing arts teacher Leigh Baker took along two groups called The Good, the Bad and the Honley and Honleywood.

The Good the Bad and the Honley was inspired by the Clint Eastwood film The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Band members performed the catchy theme tune on a range of instruments including ocarinas, ukuleles and even beer bottles.

Jazz group Honleywood dressed in dinner suits and cocktail dresses for their Hollywood-inspired performance.

Mr Baker said: “The festival is something we do every year.

“I always try and do something a bit different to catch the eye – or the ear, I should say.

“You get a 10 minute programme and you can play what you like.”

“There’s hundreds and hundreds of kids taking part.

“The standard that’s coming out of the Huddersfield area is very high.”

Other groups from the area included Colloquium Kirklees Sax Ensemble, Heckmondwike Grammar School Percussion Ensemble, High Bank First and Nursery School String Ensemble, Huddersfield Boys’ Choir, Lindley Junior School Boys’ Choir, Meltham CE School string groups and a number of ensembles from Kirklees Music Service.

Lincoln Abbotts, chief executive of Music for Youth, said: “The festivals are free to enter and a great opportunity for groups to perform to new audiences, listen to other young musicians from their local area and get inspirational feedback from the MFY music mentors.

“All the events provide a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere and the opportunity for a young music group to perform in front of other musicians is incredibly inspiring.

“The festival is open to groups of any standard. You can just pitch up with your classroom project put together a month ago or you can be a hugely polished choir or band.

“All are equally valued and it’s a great learning experience for everyone.”

The regional MFY festivals take place during the spring with over 1,900 groups taking part.

From these groups, 320 will be invited to perform at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham.