TALENTED performers from across the region are gearing up for The Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.

Taking place from February 18 to 26, the Festival has already attracted 900 entries, with 380 vocal performers scheduled for the first week.

It’s an annual festival of competitive music and speech classes, which has proved massively popular for years.

Members of the public can also enjoy performances, adjudications and the presentation of prizes.

This year looks set to be another crowd puller and the adult vocal recital class at 10am on Sunday has attracted a strong entry of 19, who will compete for prize money of £400.

The Junior Recital Class, offering prize money of £275, has seven entrants.

Twelve minutes is allowed for the performance of three contrasting songs or arias in each class.

Speech, drama and poetry classes are proving popular and will take place from Monday to Wednesday.

Instrumental classes run from Monday to Thursday and choirs will take centre stage in the Huddersfield Town Hall during the final two days of the festival.

The total number of children’s, young people’s and adult choirs is on a par with last year, which continued in the face of some dreadful weather.

The festival concludes with the Gala Evening on Saturday February 26, at 7pm, when the most successful choirs compete for the top award and there will be a variety of performances compered by TV presenter Geoff Druett.

Committee member David Hirst said: “We are very pleased with a total entry of almost 900 especially as the 2011 festival falls in half-term week for schools within Kirklees and the neighbouring education authorities.”

The Kirklees Young Musician of the Year Contest takes place at St Paul’s University Hall, Huddersfield, on Sunday, February 13, at 2pm and the winner will perform in the gala evening.

On Friday February 18, as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations, Huddersfield Choral Society will take part in a boys choir workshop to inspire new singers. The event is not open to the public.