A HISTORIC hall will be alive with the Sound of Music next week as Bolton Schools' Music Festival takes to the stage.

Children and young people from across Bolton will hit the right note alongside ensembles from Bolton Music Service in a five-night celebration of music in the Victoria Hall, opening on Monday.

This year the event has been organised by Trust Music, the partner charity of Bolton Music Service, which has taken over from Bolton Schools' Music Association.

Nigel Taylor, chairman of Trust Music, said: "On behalf of everyone involved with this year’s festival I would like to sincerely thank the teachers in the participating schools for preparing and leading their children and young people so brilliantly.

"Huge thanks also to the festival conductors who bring together all the performers together as a massed ensemble each evening, and of course, thanks also to the Bolton Music Service ensembles, their young people and conductors for their fine musical contributions to the festival."

One of the highlights will be children performing a new song.

Mr Taylor said: "A regular feature of the Bolton Schools’ Music Festival is a newly composed song. This year the festival is delighted that the massed choirs will perform “The Victorians – What they did for us” by Mary Green and Julie Stanley. The song was composed for the Singing Challenge 2019 organised by the Greater Manchester Music Education

Hub. The song was first performed in May 2019 and we are most grateful to the GM Hub for allowing us to perform it on each night of the festival."

He added: "The Victoria Hall holds special memories for me, firstly as a member of Bolton Youth Orchestra very many years ago, and then as its conductor. It is wonderful to have returned to Bolton and to hear the excellent music making that is happening in Bolton’s schools and in its Music Service, and to be in this lovely hall once more."

Taking to the stage on Monday will be Bolton Youth Clarinet Choir, Blackrod Primary School, Brownlow Fold Primary School, Eagley Infant School, Eagley Junior School, Harwood Meadows Community Primary School, Johnson Fold Community Primary School, Spindle Point Primary School, SS. Peter & Paul RC.Primary School, St Gregory’s RC Primary School

and Sunning Hill Primary School.

The concerts start at 7pm every night.