Calling All Budding Young Performers!
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2008 – This year marks the tenth anniversary of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, and the search for new talent is on. Whether you are a soloist, duo or group, BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding Show is looking for young people aged between 15-20 who perform folk, roots and acoustic music from any culture. (Thame’s very own, Wilber was a finalist last year).
This is a great opportunity for young performers to learn new skills from professional musicians, be taught the tricks of the music trade and immerse themselves in making music and song with other like-minded people.
To enter, each group, duo or soloist should send a recording of their performance along with a completed entry form to BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2008, Mrs Casey Music, PO Box 296, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3XU. To request an entry form please email info@mrscasey.co.uk or call 01629 827012. Alternatively you can download an entry form from the BBC Radio 2 website at: bbc.co.uk/radio2
Entry forms and recordings must arrive with us by Monday 10 September 2007.
Successful entrants will be invited to a Semi-Final Audition Weekend on 19 – 21 October 2007 in Stratford-Upon-Avon along with up to forty other musicians and singers. Semi-finalists will attend workshops led by high profile musicians Robert Harbron and Benji Kirkpatrick and there will be opportunities to learn about stagecraft, technical support and working in the music business. There will also be plenty of time for socialising and informal music sessions.
During the Semi-Final Weekend, on Saturday 20 October, entrants will perform in a public Audition Concert. The BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award’s top music industry judges will choose which acts will go through to the Final, which will be held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre, London on 7 December 2007.
The winning act will record a session to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding Show, appear at three top UK festivals – Cambridge Folk Festival, Towersey Village Festival and Fairport’s Cropredy Convention and receive a year’s free membership to the Musicians Union.
All finalists and semi-finalists will gain valuable performance experience that will help them develop and go on to further success in their music careers.
Previous winners include Tim van Eyken, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner and frontman of the highly acclaimed Van Eyken band, Uiscedwr, Bodega, Last Orders and spellbinding fiddle player Lauren MacColl.
Entrants must live in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. For information and full entry guidelines visit bbc.co.uk/radio2, email info@mrscasey.co.uk or call 01629 827012.
