NEXT week the 107th Swindon Music Festival sees between 700 and 1,000 musicians and singers step up to the mark to perform in front of professional adjudicators.

There are classes for choirs, vocal solos, duets and groups, piano, strings, woodwind, guitar, ensembles, brass, keyboards all kicking off with the powerful sound of the church organ under Grade 4 class in Christ Church on Friday, March 11.

Vice-chairman of the festival Sheila Marcer said: “One of the most rewarding things about organising the festival is to see the younger ones starting out, see them improving and watching the joy they get from music.’’

Glyndebourne and Welsh National Opera singer, Rebecca Moseley-Morgan will be adjudicating along with cellist Kay Tucker, who performs in a piano trio and string quartet as well as teaching, and Helen Deakin who studied piano and clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music.

The feedback helps the festival entrants take the right music path with their music.

Jazz superstar Jamie Cullum cut his teeth on the festival platform in 1988 and the film star Diana Dors entered in 1938, under her real name of Diana Fluck.

In both 2006 and 2008 Swindon singer Sarah Covey was crowned Vocal and Supreme Champion of the festival and she went on to star in London’s West End, in the Queen musical We Will Rock You.

Sheila said: “The festival is a good grounding for young musicians, not only with their music but in building confidence, to get up on stage and perform. It is a lesson for life.’’

Most of the classes are held in the Arts Centre, Devizes Road in Old Town but in recent years Christ Church has thrown open its doors to the musicians and this year the festival welcomes the Bath Road Methodist Church on board.

The festival runs until Saturday, March 19 Accompanying the musicians and singers will be Paul Turner, founder of the Swindon Recital Series, and Honours Graduate from the Royal Academy of Music. Paul is a renowned concert pianist playing regularly at the Wigmore Hall in London and making recordings for release by Prologue.

A team of festival officials and committee members, led by chairman Geoff Walters, strive each year to make the Swindon event special.

Sheila said: “We’re still looking for new sponsors to help us cover the ever-increasing costs of staging the festival. We welcome firms or individuals.’’ Last year’s overall winners were: Instrumental champion Alexander Harris, Junior Vocal champion Matilda Wale and Supreme Champion Zoe Tan.

For more details call 01793 823849 or visit www.swindonmusicfestival.co.uk. - Flicky Harrison