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Playing for the title ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist Of The Year 2009 will be a trombonist, a euphonium player, a flugel horn player and, for the first time in this competition, a French horn player.

Taking to the stage for the finals on Saturday 21 February at the Royal Northern College of Music Manchester, the four rising stars of the brass world perform their chosen pieces of music accompanied by The Black Dyke Band and conductor Nicholas Childs.

The two judges for the finals are composer Edward Gregson and Nigel Seaman, principal tuba with The ´óÏó´«Ã½ National Orchestra of Wales.

Frank Renton, presenter of Radio 2's Listen To The Band, is the host.

Lewis Carnie, Head of Programmes, Radio 2, says: "The Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist competition aims to celebrate the thriving brass band music scene in the UK today and I'm delighted that we can give a platform to the exceptional young performers. Congratulations to the four musicians who have made it through to the final."

Trombonist Stephen Sykes from Somerset is 18 years old and is principal trombone of The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He started out on the cornet at the age of seven, changed to the baritone for a while before graduating to the trombone, something he had wanted to do even when the instrument was twice as tall as he was.

Seventeen-year-old French horn player Lauren Reeve-Rawlings from Wiltshire will be going to The Guildhall School of Music and drama next year. Lauren began her brass playing on the tenor horn but, wanting to find a broader repertoire, she switched to the French horn aged 15. She now plays with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as well as several orchestras in the Wiltshire area.

David Moore from Stalybridge is 19 and is studying trumpet at The Royal Northern College of Music but has chosen to return to the flugel horn for this competition. David has grown up with music as both his parents are musicians and his younger brother Peter is the current ´óÏó´«Ã½ Young Musician of the Year.

Eighteen-year-old Matthew White is currently Principal euphonium with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and is studying at The Royal Northern College of Music. Matthew, from Lancashire, first took part in this competition aged 16 when he made it through to the final on euphonium. He now plays with one of the top championship bands, Leyland, coincidentally sitting alongside two previous Young Brass Soloist winners.

This year's winner will receive an invitation to perform alongside a championship standard brass band with a guaranteed broadcast on Radio 2 and an appearance on the Network's flagship live music programme Friday Night Is Music Night.

The Finals take place on Saturday 21 February at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Information on free tickets is available via the Radio 2 audience line on 03700 100 200.

The Finals can be heard on Radio 2 on Friday 27 February at 9.30pm.

SH3