With many of the island’s regular music competitions cancelled or postponed, a new virtual music competition has been announced.

The first Manx Virtual Music Competition will take place entirely online later this year.

It is set to take place throughout what would normally have been TT week and will feature days of competition, showing pre-submitted videos of entrants in each class performing their chosen pieces of music, following videos of the adjudicator’s comments and the announcement of the winners.

It will be open to musicians of pre-school and school age, up to 18 and will focus on both vocal and instrumental performance.

There will be classes for solo, duet and ensembles and will include performances on the piano, stringed, woodwind and precision instruments, along with specific classes for Manx traditional instrumental performance and Gaelic singing.

Those who want to enter will have to submit a video of themselves performing their chosen piece prior to the date of the competition and, once all the entries have been collected, a montage video will be shown on a dedicated YouTube channel and shared to the event’s Facebook page.

A winner and runner up will be selected from each class with cash prizes and trophies for the winning entries and each entrant will also receive a certificate.

The competition has been organised by music teacher Dr Laura Rowles ,who said that she and fellow music teachers wanted to create an event for local music students to look forward to this year.

’As a music teacher, I have found that many of my students have struggled to stay motivated this year, especially when they have prepared pieces for events that haven’t happened due to all the current uncertainties,’ said Laura.

’After talking to fellow music teachers, we decided to put together an online music event that we knew wouldn’t be cancelled.

’This year, the island’s young musicians have had to cope with numerous disappointments as shows, concerts, competitions and events have been cancelled or postponed.

’The Manx Virtual Music Competition aims to give pre-school and school-age children something positive to work towards and it is a chance to showcase the amazing talent that we have in the Isle of Man.

’The response from teachers and parents so far has been fantastic.’

The closing date for solo and duet entries is on Monday, May 3, and all ensemble entries must be sent in by Monday, May 17.

The Key Stage One (aged five to seven) competition will be the first to be broadcast , on Monday, June 7.

Information on entering the competition is available by emailing [email protected] or by visiting the event Facebook page.

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers