YOUNG musicians are wanted to help a music contest celebrate its half-century anniversary in style.
Entries are now being taken for this year’s Haydn Wood Music Festival, which each year attracts hundreds of participants from a variety of music backgrounds.
This year the popular festival is 50 years old and organisers want to ensure the contest is bigger and better than ever.
Organiser Barry Fearnley said: “The festival is always well-received, but because we’re celebrating a special anniversary this year we want to make sure the festival is its biggest yet.
“This year we have more classes for musicians to compete in. In the syllabus we’ve got about 40 classes in all disciplines, from strings, woodwind and brass to vocal and choral classes – there really is something for everyone.
“This year we have also introduced two new classes, which we’re hoping will be popular.”
The festival celebrates composer Haydn Wood, who was born in Slaithwaite in 1882 and died in 1959 just before the festival was started.
He wrote the poignant World War One song The Roses Of Picardy.
To mark the special anniversary of the event, two new categories have even been introduced for this year.
These are a challenging open age recital class, where participants will choose their own three pieces to perform, and the Haydn Wood class to play a piece of music from the late composer.
The class was requested by Haydn Wood’s family, a member of which is this year set to present his coveted trophy to the performer who receives the highest mark.
The festival was started initially for local young people to participate in at Colne Valley High School. It is now staged at Linthwaite Methodist Church.
The contest now attracts talented young musicians aged under 21 from all over Kirklees and Calderdale and has a reputation of being one of the most popular events of the music calendar.
Mr Fearnley said: “We are very well supported, particularly by local music teachers. We also pride yourselves on getting good adjudicators.
“The young people seem to really enjoy taking part and we do see the same faces coming back.
“I think they like coming here because we are a warm and friendly festival. As soon as they walk through the door they are welcome and we give them a lot of support and encouragement.
“I think people tend to view us as a springboard for other music festivals, but we definitely holding our own and have seen a lot of talent coming through.”
Entry to the festival – which takes place on November 6 and 7 – is free this year as part of the anniversary celebrations. The closing date for entries is September 26.
Copies of the syllabus are available from Dolphin Music in Market Street.
