On Friday and Saturday March 4-5 at Newport Centre, thousands of youngsters will flock to play their hearts out at South Wales’ annual Music for Youth regional festival organised by Gwent Music. Taking place from 9am to 6pm on both days, over 100 groups will perform in a packed timetable of ensembles in the Main Hall and Riverside Suite.

Music For Youth is a national music education charity providing free access to performance and audience opportunities for young musicians across the UK and the Newport regional festival is one of a number of festivals across the UK leading up to the 5 day National Festival in Birmingham and the Music for Youth Proms at The Royal Albert Hall later in the year.

As well as performances at Newport Centre, Gwent Music will also provide musical entertainment to busy shoppers on Saturday 5th March via the Friars Walk Fringe Festival which will take place on the balcony of the upper part of Newport’s recently opened Friars Walk Shopping Centre. Shoppers will be treated to a selection of music ranging from small jazz ensembles to percussion groups, brass bands and woodwind ensembles. This fringe event will aim to mirror the fringe festival that takes place at Music for Youth’s Birmingham event in July and hopes to become a regular fixture at this Newport regional festival.

Gwent Music is responsible for co-ordinating all the groups and ensembles taking part over the two day festival. This year’s event will feature an extensive variety of choirs, orchestras, brass bands, wind bands, world music groups and ensembles.

Budding and experienced musicians from around South East Wales and some from further afield have registered to perform at the festival . Altogether, there will over 2,200 young musicians taking part over the two days and each ensemble will receive constructive feedback from the following music industry professionals:

· Patrick Bailey who is currently conductor of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and who during his career has worked around the globe with stints at the BBC Concert and the London Philharmonic Orchestras.

· Adey Grummet is a soprano but also a lyricist, animator, writer, vocal consultant, conductor, historian and gardener with a dim and distant past in musicals and bands.

· Aileen Douthwaite is an orchestral French Horn player, relationships executive for the ABRSM, a music teacher and musical director.

Andy Grappy has worked as a freelance Tuba player since 1985 and has performed with most of the major London orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, The Philharmonic and the BBC Symphony and Concert Orchestras. Andy has also played on many film and TV scores and has also worked with leading jazz and world music artists.

· Tony Harris is a music educator and head of teacher education at Nottingham Trent University. Tony has worked in the education team for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, lectured at Birmingham Conservatoire and taught in primary, secondary and further education. Tony also is a founder member of The Pound Shop Boys.

Gwent Music is offering ’stroller tickets’ for the amazing price of £3 per person per day (under 5s go free) which gives access to both indoor venues anytime during the day.

Head of Gwent Music, Emma Archer said:

"We are thrilled to be organising this regional event in conjunction with Music for Youth and schools from around South East Wales and the South West and are really pleased that so many can participate in what is set to be another fantastic musical event for Newport. We look forward to welcoming family, friends and the general public to come and watch these talented youngsters perform."

Judith Webster, Chief Executive at Music for Youth said:

“We are really looking forward to the Newport regional festival and to the breadth and quality of performances by talented students of South East Wales and the South West. Students and teachers work incredibly hard to prepare for the festivals, which are a crucial part of the lead up to the National Festival in Birmingham later in the year, bringing together young musicians from all over the UK.”