ORGANISERS of this year's Wharfedale Music Festival are hoping that a new idea will put more 'bums on seats' at their Gala Concert.

In the last few years Gala Concert audiences at the culmination of the week-long feast of music have been dropping, despite the wealth of talent on show.

As an added incentive for people to attend the concert at the King's Hall, Ilkley, on May 22, it will now include a grand prize raffle as well as performances from the cream of the festival performers.

Music Festival secretary Elizabeth Holbrook said: "We're hoping that a spin-off from the raffle will be a larger audience at the Gala Concert as raffle ticket purchasers turn up to claim their prizes."

Miss Holbrook added: "It is my ambition to fill the King's Hall for the Gala Concert and hopefully deck out the stage with flowers, recapturing the atmosphere and style of a bygone age of final concerts."

The festival will start on May 15 with church music classes at All Saints Parish Church. Organisers are hoping that their first organ soloists will enter at a late stage and are also hoping more church choirs will put themselves forward.

Although there are a record number of nine brass and concert bands who will compete at the King's Hall on Tuesday, May 18, there has been a further drop in instrumental classes.

Miss Holbrook said she feared it reflected a trend in education where music was being squeezed out of the curriculum by other subjects like information technology.

"How sad if the only keyboards the emergent youth know how to play belong to a computer," said Miss Holbrook.

Other venues which will be used include Riddings Hall and Christchurch where recorder, guitar, brass woodwind and string classes will take place.

Taking place at the King's Hall on Thursday, May 20, is the ever-popular School Choirs Workshop, led by Catherine Roberts.

Miss Holbrook said: "This has to be one of the most outstanding events of the festival. It is very spectator friendly and deserves to be seen. At only 50p per session it has to be the best value in town."

Arthur Wilson, of Steeton, is once again the oldest competitor at 95. He will be singing in the over sixties vocal solo class.

The festival will run from May 15 to May 22 and season tickets costing £5 (including the Gala Concert) are available from Ilkley Tourist Information Centre on Station Road.

Entry to the competition sessions costs 50p and tickets for the Gala Concert only range from £1.50 to £2.50.

With piano recitals, mixed voice choirs, school choirs, instrumental classes and many other attractions, the festival will provide seven days of first class entertainment, said Miss Holbrook.

She said Festival organisers would like to thank all the businesses who had supported with sponsorship.

Organisers also hope that individual volunteers would also come forward to help perform vital tasks needed to make sure the annual event runs as smoothly as possible.

Anyone wishing to help should call Miss Holbrook on 01943 872067.

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