Last chance to enter young musician contest

The search is on for Northern Ireland’s next Young Musician of the Year, which is open to instrumentalists aged 12-16 years and singers aged 12-18 years.

The competition, now running into its 20th year, has attracted young vocalists and instrumentalists across a range of disciplines and talents, including among the winners flautists, pianists, percussionists, singers, violinists, cellists, a guitarist, a piper and a euphonium player.

Entry forms are now being sent to Education Board music directors, who will be forwarding them to the secondary schools in their areas. They can also be downloaded from www.comberrotary.org or direct by emailing [email protected]

Applications should be completed and with the organisers by Tuesday, January 31, and entrants will appear in three heats to be held in Comber on February 27, 28 and 29.

Those performers judged to be best by the heat adjudicator will then progress to the final in the Harty Room at Queen’s University, Belfast, on Saturday, March 3.

The winner’s prize will be £300 and an engraved trophy – as well as the honour of being crowned NI Young Musician of the Year for 2012.