The glorious musical aptitude of our local youngsters is being put to the test once again in the suitable surroundings of a professional recital hall. 

The ambiance will befit the occasion at the Regis School of Music in Bognor. 

The West Sussex Youth Music Award continues a long-standing tradition of music competitions organised in order to discover and encourage musical talent among young people. 

This competition is aimed at talented young musicians in West Sussex who aspire to make music their profession. 

This year the Award attracted 20 candidates aged 11 to 18 in six categories: strings, piano, woodwind, brass, vocal and classical guitar.  Each candidate had to perform a short programme in front of a panel of adjudicators. 

The first round took place at the end of January. 

Five outstanding young musicians were chosen by the panel to compete in the final round on March 13. 

The panel of adjudicators for the final will be Peter Hewitt – the head of the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music - and Michael Sullivan, head of Music Awards for West Sussex Music Support Service. 

This year the finalists are: Yasmin Rowe – piano; Nicholas Robson – voice; Claire Bradder – flute, Amy Fuller – voice, Simon Tappin – piano. 

The final is always an exciting event where each of the competitors will be performing a 15-minute concert programme in front of the public and the panel. 

During the deliberation, last year’s award winner Ellla Rundle will be playing, followed by the presentation of the awards. 

The winner receives £300 and a trophy.  Four runners up will receive £150 each.  The monetary prizes are intended to help young musicians in their musical education. 

To set up an award the organisers had to raise around £1,600. 

This year the money was provided by the generous private donation, sponsorship by the West Sussex County Council, the Friends of Regis School of Music, Bassil-Shippam Trust and Reynolds of Bognor.  Part of the proceeds from the final round of the competition will be donated to a special medical charity CRY: Cardiac Risk in the Young.