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The half termly newsletter from the Love Music Trust
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Young Musician of the Year
Young musicians from across the region are invited to take part in the Cheshire and Wirral Young Musician of the Year Competition 2026, an annual celebration of talent, commitment and musical achievement organised by Love Music Trust.
The competition is open to all musicians attending schools within Cheshire and Wirral. Musicians can apply for the competition in the borough in which they attend school. To make participation as accessible as possible, entrants will perform at one of three venues, depending on where they live:
Competitors will enter one of five age categories, from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 5, with both instrumental and vocal classes available in each category. Performers should prepare one piece, lasting up to 5 minutes for KS1–KS4 or 8 minutes for KS5.
Piano accompaniment is available if requested on the entry form, with music submitted in advance. The deadline to enter is Friday 13th February 2026.
To take part in the competition, please follow the relevant link below!
Cheshire West
Cheshire East
Wirral
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Orchestral weekend
Parents of young orchestral musicians are invited to support an exciting musical opportunity this January as the Love Music Trust hosts its annual Orchestral Weekend at Trinity Methodist Church, Congleton.
Taking place on Friday 23rd January (6.00–9.00pm) and Saturday 24th January (9.00am–6.30pm), the course is open to all young people attending school in Cheshire and the Wirral who play an orchestral instrument (approximately grade 4 and above), from strings and woodwind to brass and percussion. Designed to inspire and challenge, the weekend will offer a varied and engaging programme of music, helping young musicians to develop ensemble skills, musical confidence and a deeper understanding of orchestral playing.
The course will be directed by Mark Heron, Head of Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music, alongside a range of inspirational instrumental tutors who bring professional expertise and enthusiasm to every rehearsal
Whether your child is passionate about music or keen to gain more orchestral experience, this weekend promises high-quality tuition in a supportive and motivating environment.
The cost to take part is £65, offering excellent value for an immersive and memorable musical experience.
To sign up to the course, please click here
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Battle of the Bands
On Saturday 28th February, The Nest Northwest will be running their first ever Battle of the Bands competition at the Hive, Winsford. We are running the event in association with Deva Fest, who are offering the top three bands on the day the chance to perform at this year's festival alongside some of the UK's top acts, including Jessie J, Ash, and Ronan Keateing!
The competition is open to all young bands residing in the Cheshire area with all members aged upto and including 18 years, and will be judged by a panel of independent judges including current Northwich and Winsford MP, Andrew Cooper. Doors will be open at the Hive from 2.30pm, with the first band on at 3.00pm. Judging is expected to take place at around 7.30pm.
To find out more about the event, including how to sign up, please click here
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Primary Schools Music Competition
The Love Music Trust is delighted to announce the 2026 Cheshire and Wirral Schools Music Competition, celebrating the vibrant musical talent of young musicians across the region. Following the success of last year’s event, this year’s competition will include schools from Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Wirral with dates and venues to be confirmed shortly!
Primary schools in Cheshire and Wirral will be invited to showcase up to three ensembles per category, with each performance lasting up to six minutes (10 minutes allocated per group for setup and exit). Groups must include at least three performers and can perform in any style. One member of staff may also perform alongside students if desired.
Categories include:
- Primary Vocal Ensembles
- Primary Instrumental Ensembles (instrumental groups may also include singers
A single judge will provide short written feedback for all groups and select 1st and 2nd place ensembles and choirs from each heat. Winners progress to a regional final, with a total of three choirs and three ensembles competing.
This year, a grand final will also celebrate winning groups from Cheshire East, Cheshire West, and Wirral at a date to be confirmed.
With first round events taking place in April, entry is free and schools will be able to register from Monday 2nd February to the closing date on Friday 13th March. Performance timings will be shared with schools on Wednesday 25th March.
For entries and more information please keep an eye on the LMT website.
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Cheshire and Wirral Vocal Weekend
This year the Love Music Trust is excited to be running a Vocal Weekend concurrently at Sandbach School and West Kirby Grammar School on Friday 24th April (5 - 8pm) and Saturday 25th April (9am - 6pm). The two vocal courses (in Sandbach and West Kirby) will each end with a performance to parents at 5pm.
These fabulous events are open to all students from year 5 - 13 across Cheshire and Wirral who love to sing and want to learn more about stagecraft, vocal technique, solo and ensemble performance. At a cost of £45 per head, the courses will consist of a variety of workshops for all attending, plus age appropriate classes.
An exciting mix of warm-ups, games, songs and choral repertoire will be explored over a fun-packed weekend! Details of how to sign up can be found by clicking here.
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Singfest
Singfest 'This is Me' continues to flourish, as we embark, in Cheshire East, on the live rehearsals in many different venues across the county, enjoying our 'Celebration' and 'Good to be Me' medleys and our playground singing games. We are all looking forward to the massed singing celebrations on Wednesday 18th March at Brine Leas and Malbank High Schools, on Thursday 19th March at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and St Michael's and All Angels Church in Macclesfield and on Monday 23rd March in Cheshire College South and West.
In Cheshire West and the Wirral we are currently launching the same project Singfest 'This is Me' and are looking forward to meeting classes of children and their teachers in our first rehearsals during the Spring Term. The exciting live rehearsals and concerts will follow in the Summer Term!
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Christmas Concert Reviews
Chester Music Centre Concert at St Thomas' in Chester
The mezzo and concert bands filled this beautiful church with the pieces including The Fairytale of New York, Troika and Frosty the Snowman. We also enjoyed solo and duet performances from eight members of Chester Music Centre.
Wirral Christmas concerts
Christmas has now passed and we are extremely proud of our numerous Wirral ensembles. From the stunning performance by the Wirral Schools’ Concert Band at the NSPCC Carols by Candlelight Service at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, to our Christmas Celebration Concert at St Andrew’s Church, we look forward to welcoming new members in 2026.
Sandbach Christmas Concert at Sandbach School
A variety of Love Music Trust ensembles performed in the Sandbach Christmas Concert which was packed with an eclectic mix of music for the festive season. Sandbach Youth Choir made their debut performance with six pieces ranging from the traditional to the modern and the Senior Percussion Ensemble's performance of a marimba concerto as well as the lively music and movement from the Saxophone Orchestra added extra depth to the concert.
Nantwich Christmas Concert at Elim Chapel
On Wednesday 3rd December, LMT ensembles, Nantwich Young Voices, Nantwich Youth Choir, Folk Ensemble and String Sinfonia treated an audience of family and friends to a varied programme of music with a festive flavour. This wonderful event culminated in a massed finale of 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas', with everyone, including the audience, in very good voice, ably accompanied by our string and folk musicians!
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The Love Music Trust has 26 exciting ensembles, from Big Bands and Percussion Ensembles to Choirs, Saxophone Groups and String Ensembles.
To find out more about our ensembles go to our website to hear the groups play and find out when the next rehearsal is.
There is something for everyone!!! |
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