MUSICAL talent from all over the world will take to the Bromsgrove stage to vie for a prestigious award this weekend.

The Bromsgrove Festival is once again hosting its International Young Musician's Platform at the New Guesten Hall, Avoncroft Museum, starting tomorrow (Thursday).

Music-lovers will be able to attend the rounds of the competition free of charge. They run until Sunday.

The rounds will run from 10am-6pm, apart from on Sunday, when they will be from 10am-4pm.

Last year's winner, Australian saxophonist Amy Dickinson, will also play a concert at the New Guesten Hall on Friday night. Pianist Eleanor Hodgkinson will accompany her. It will start at 8.15pm.

The grand competition's final will take place on Sunday, at the same venue, starting at 7pm. Chairman of the adjudicators, Sir John Manduell, will introduce the exciting new talent.

Residents are in for another musical treat, courtesy of the Bromsgrove Festival, next Tuesday when The Barkham Harp Quartet performs at St Mary's and Holy Trinity Church in Dodford.

Festival chairman Mary White said: "This is something very special indeed. There will be four young women and their harps in the beautiful setting of Dodford church."

The quartet will perform recitals of works by Handel, Watson, Schubert and Rachmaniov. They will start at 7.45pm.

Tickets for all Bromsgrove Festival events are available from the festival office, based at the town museum, in Birmingham Road, or by calling 01527 876504.

For a full round up of this week's festival events, including fringe events, see the leisure pages.