A MUSIC competition launched eight years ago is moving from strength to strength - and this year has attracted a record entry.

The 2009 Ripon Young Musicians of the Year competition takes place on Saturday (APRIL 25) at Holy Trinity Church – and this year the winners will perform in a concert the same evening.

This year’s event has attracted 97 performers from 22 different schools. They are playing 15 different instruments, and playing or singing works by 71 composers. The competition, which was started eight years ago by David Winpenny, is described as "a celebration of all young musicians in the area."

This year’s adjudicator is Jon Thorne, a viola player with the Bronte Quartet who has also played with most of the major orchestras in the UK.

His playing has appeared on numerous film releases, recently including Batman: The Dark Knight and The Mummy Returns and on albums from Amy Winehouse to Primal Scream.

He is professor of viola at the Royal College of Music, at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and at Royal Holloway, University of London.

The winners’ concert will take place at Holy Trinity, starting at 7.30pm, and the organisers hope that there will be plenty of local support for the performers. Admission to the concert will be by £2 programme – young people up to 18 get in free.

Full results of the competition will be posted on the Ripon Young Musicians of the Year website – www.rymy.co.uk