AUDITIONS to find young musicians have uncovered a wealth of talent, organisers have reported.

The Forum Music Centre in Darlington hosted the auditions for My Song, a project which seeks to research health issues through music.

Seven young acts - singers, songwriters, instrumentalists and a band - have been selected so far for the scheme which will see them working with industry professionals to create and record their own music.

The Forum Music Centre, in Darlington, has gathered together industry experts from the region who specialise in music, image and record production to work with young people and help them to produce an album of original songs.

The team will help finalists by offering advice and mentoring before recording the finished tracks.

The mentors have worked with national and international record labels and artists who have appeared on Ministry of Sound's Hed Kandi(CORR) compilation series among others.

Successful candidates, aged 16 to 19, will also be able to perform in front of a live audience at an outdoor concert planned for Darlington next summer.

Project co-ordinator and image mentor Allison McKay said: "We were absolutely amazed and delighted at the sheer talent that turned up to the first round of auditions.

She added it had also revealed health issues young people were concerned about.

"Common threads seem to be around smoking, violence associated with drink and the psychological impact on young people of the environmental damage being caused to the world. Many are genuinely worried about whether they will be able to live out their lives."

The search is still on for young musical talent - visit myspace.com/mysongdarlington for details of how to enter.