MUSIC performers of all ages and abilities are being encouraged to enter a festival that could see them playing in a concert.

Weymouth Music Festival, to be held on Saturday, March 2 from 9am, is a non-competitive and all-inclusive day of music celebration.

The festival, to be held at St Aldhelm's Church in Weymouth, is a friendly, welcoming 'platform for live performance' for anyone - including those who have never performed before.

And anyone who wishes to enter must enter before January 27.

Pianist Duncan Honeybourne, of Weymouth, is one of the festival's four adjudicators and will be overseeing the organ class.

The other classes are Wind, Brass, Instrumental groups, Piano and Composition and Vocal Solos, Musical Theatre and Strings.

Duncan said: "I think the great thing about Weymouth Music Festival is it offers a non-judgemental, supportive and friendly platform to musicians of all ages whether they are experienced or novices.

"The experience can help people who might be afraid of performing because the feedback is all very positive and there are no marks. The adjudicators give helpful, positive advice. There are no winners and a few people are selected for the concert."

The music festival's concert will also be held at St Aldhelm's Church - taking place on Friday, March 8.

Everyone is welcome to attend both the festival to listen to the music and to the ticketed concert.

Last year the festival still went ahead despite taking place in adverse weather in March 2018.

Duncan said: "We had to get local people to be the adjudicators because the original adjudicators couldn't get over the Ridgeway to Weymouth. But the spirit of the Blitz was alive and well. We pulled together and got on with it and made the festival happen."

The festival's other adjudicators are solo recitalist Simon Ballard, oboe player Kyle Jones and singer Christine Cairns, who has performed all over the world and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.

This year musicians will get the chance to work on a piece of music, of any type, with Christine."

Duncan said the main thing the adjudicators will be looking for is 'a shared love of music making',

He added: "We're also looking for a complete enjoyment of making music and communication. It's all about experiencing the delights of it together and sharing the music."

*The deadline for entering Weymouth Music Festival is January 27. See details online at weymouthmusicfestival.co.uk