England’s oldest music festival begins on Monday.
The Stratford and East London Music Festival, founded in 1882, will feature a series of competitions and will end with the Young Musician of the Year Award at Forest School in Snaresbrook on February 22.
Previous winners include Jonathan Antoine, who came second in ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2012, and Charlotte Barbour-Condini, who finished in the top three of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2012.
The competition is open to amateurs and includes categories such as solo and ensemble singing, choirs and speech and drama.
Organ, choir, orchestra & band competitions are taking place at St Mary’s Parish Church, in High Road, South Woodford, while all other competitions will be held at the school.
The award ceremony will take place from 6pm to 8pm.
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