THE CREAM of Huddersfield's young musicians went head-to-head at the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.

Birkby pianist Richard Uttley was named Kirklees Young Musician of the Year last night.

Richard, 17, will perform at the gala concert tonight and will receive a £700 prize, sponsored by the J W Pearce Prize Trust and Kirklees Council's Cultural Services.

Brockholes mezzo-soprano Sarah Ogden came second out of 11 entrants and will receive a £300 prize, sponsored by the festival.

Each entrant gave a 15-minute recital for adjudicator Donald Maxwell Timmins.

Festival general manager David Hirst said: "He said the performances were of staggering quality. In general, it was a very high- quality competition."

The winners from open individual instrumental classes also battled it out in the Solo Instrumentalists' Challenge.

Pianist Lin Yang - who won the piano concerto and solo classes in the festival - impressed judges for a third time by winning the first prize of £100.

The 14-year-old from Sale, Greater Manchester, who has been playing the piano since she was six, said: "It has been amazing and a really good experience.

"I have learned a lot from what the adjudicators have had to say.

"It was really useful. But the most important thing was to enjoy it - then the audience do too."

Huddersfield University music student Daniel Bennett, 21, was awarded the second prize of £50 for his flute performance.

He said: "I was really nervous yesterday, but I thought of today as a bit of fun and was really relaxed.

"I'm really chuffed to have come second.

"I'll probably spend the money on music books."

Festival chairman Michael Hampshire praised the calibre of performers this year.

He said: "The standard has been very high and it was very difficult to choose a winner.

"These are professional performances from teenagers and they are astounding.

"It gives people a platform to perform, which is absolutely vital."

Brass Solo (14 years and under) - 1 Tamara Heaton, 2 James Rowe, 3 Sam Whitwam.

Recorder Solo (14 years and under) - 1 Gregory Barker, 2 Rosie Sillitoe. Recorder Solo Open - Amy Whitwam.

Recorder Solo (16 years and under) - 1 Gregory Barker, 2 Rosie Sillitoe.

Woodwind Solo Open - 1 Daniel Bennett, 2 Richard Sleight, 3 Alice Hobbs.

Duo Open - 1 Daniel Bennett and Jenny Johnson, 2 Nicholas Razzell and Matthew Finegold.

String Solo (12 years and under) - 1 Ben Wallis, 2 Andrew Robinson, 3 Catrin Pryce-Jones.

String Solo (14 years and under) - 1 Catrin Pryce-Jones, 2 Ruth Nicholson.

String Solo (16 years and under) - 1 Kirsty Chappell, 2 Katrina Lee. String Solo Open - 1 Rachel Spencer, 2 Stacey Lupton.

Two Instruments (17 years and under) - 1 Rachel Spencer, 2 Katrina Lee, 3 Hayley Danielle Pearson.

Woodwind Solo (12 years and under) - 1 Karin Inglis, 2 Hannah Mosley, 3 Sophie Uttley. Woodwind Solo (16 years and under) - 1 Sarah Bennett, 2 Charlie Bayley, 3 Hannah Morrison.

Instrumental Ensemble - 1 Jenny Johnson, Richard Sleight and Alison Gill, 2 Flautacious, 3 The Howells Quartet with Nicholas Razzell, Elizabeth Chatterjee, Andrew Uttley and Jonathan Asquith.

Solo Instrumentalists Challenge - 1 Lin Yang, 2 Daniel Bennett.